What they like

Water with edges. Ditches, puddles, ponds, salt marshes. And above all: open spots to land and forage. Make it easy: leave a messy bank with reed and bulrush. In a park or yard, create a shallow pool or a wet ditch. On land: herb-rich, damp plots and muddy patches are gold.

Ecological importance

A cleaner with a sense of timing. It eats earthworms, insects, larvae, small snails and little fish. During the breeding season it also chases mice on freshly mown fields. It itself is on the menu for foxes and large gulls, and its eggs/chicks for corvids. Large colonies attract lots of life — and keep the landscape lively.

When in the Netherlands

All year round. In winter there’s extra traffic from guests coming from the north. Breeds roughly from April to June, often in colonies.

Status

Common, but has declined. Colonies are vulnerable: disturbance and drying-out take their toll.