It is native to East Asia. During the summer it breeds south of Siberia, migrating south to winter in Korea and north of China.
It usually lives near rivers and lakes, both in places with little vegetation and in forests. It is possible to see it far from the water in the typical steppes in its distribution. Young people resort to swamps and swampy places.
The clutch consists of five to eight eggs. The incubation takes about 28 days and is carried out by the mother. The male stays close and defends the nest and later the chicks.