This species inhabits coastal zones like mudflats, coral reefs, mangroves and sheltered lagoons, but never occurs inland (Richardson 1990, Aspinall and Porter 2011). Breeding colonies are situated on sandbanks and islets low above the high tide mark or on sandy dunes (Hayman et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996, Jennings 2010). Outside of the breeding season, the species is found on open mudflats, sometimes in proximity to mangroves (Jennings 2010). During passage, it also occurs along creeks (Richardson 1990). Its diet consists predominantly (> 95%) of crabs and occasionally of small fish (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Jennings 2010). The species forages nocturnally mostly under semi-closed mangroves (Avicennia marina), but occasionally also on open intertidal flats (Jennings 2010). The breeding season starts in May, when nesting tunnels and burrows are excavated in moist sand (Jennings 2010, Aspinall and Porter 2011). These tunnels can be more than 2 m long and lead up to 1 m below the surface (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Jennings 2010). There is no other nesting material used (Jennings 2010). Clutches contain only one egg (Jennings 2010). Chicks hatch by mid-June and fledge in August (Jennings 2010). Juveniles remain with their parents for several months, including on the wintering grounds (Jennings 2010). The migratory movements are poorly understood. Individuals from the breeding colonies on Umm Amim and Abu al-Abyadh islands may disperse after the breeding season locally in response to food availability (Jennings 2010). However, individuals may also migrate southwards between August and November; one satellite-tagged bird from the UAE was found to winter in the Seychelles (Javed et al. 2011), while others may move to the East African coast or the eastern Indian Ocean (Jennings 2010). These individuals return northwards between March and April, although over much of its range the species is present in fluctuating numbers throughout the year (Hayman et al. 1986).

During the breeding season, this species inhabits eutrophic freshwater sites like marshes with effluent water input or nearby rubbish dumps, as well as pools with bare mud areas or tall reed beds (Jennings 2010, Aspinall and Porter 2011). During the non-breeding season, it prefers shallow coastal lagoons. During migration, it may be found at any type of freshwater body, including temporary rain pools, sewage lagoons, brackish coastal pools and tidal ponds (Jennings 2010). Its diet consists mainly of insects, but also of worms, molluscs and crustaceans, which it takes from soft mud and in shallow water (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Jennings 2010). At the beginning of the breeding season in February, the species establishes territories in loose colonies (Hayman et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996, Jennings 2010). The nest is a shallow scrape, lined with small sticks, stones or shells (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Jennings 2010). It is placed in muddy areas or close to bushes near water (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Jennings 2010). Eggs are laid between March and May (Jennings 2010). The species is partially migratory (del Hoyo et al. 1996). The migrant population in the UAE breeds in central Asia from Turkey to Pakistan and moves south during the non-breeding season, with parts of the population migrating further south to the eastern Sahel in Africa (Jennings 2010). Outside of the breeding season, the species occurs singly, in pairs or small groups, with small migratory flocks of 1-6 individuals and wintering flocks of 6-25 individuals (Urban et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996).

The breeding population is restricted to open, swampy habitats like shallow waste water sites with rich invertebrate life (Jennings 2010). During migration, the species occurs at any kind of wetland on the coast or further inland, while wintering birds are usually found at shallow, sheltered coastal waters like brackish lagoons (Jennings 2010). Densely vegetated wetlands are not suitable as habitat nor as a foraging site (Jennings 2010). There is no information available about its diet in the UAE or in Arabia; elsewhere it feeds on aquatic invertebrates like insects and larvae, but also worms, crustaceans and occasionally fish, which are taken by scything the bill through the water while walking forward (Jennings 2010). The breeding season lasts from April until July (Jennings 2010). The species nests colonially on small islands in low vegetation near shallow water (Jennings 2010, Aspinall and Porter 2011). The nest is usually a scrape, sometimes with a raised rim and lined with plant material, which may be positioned in a variety of sites including on bare sand and dried mud (Johnsgard 1981, del Hoyo et al. 1996, Jennings 2010). Clutches contain three to four, sometimes up to six eggs (Jennings 2010). The species is partly migratory. Individuals wintering in the UAE or passing through the country on migration breed in central Eurasia (Jennings 2010). It is unclear whether the breeding population in Arabia is resident or if it migrates southward after breeding, to be replaced by wintering migrants from northern breeding grounds (Jennings 2010).

This species occurs mainly in coastal mudflats and tidal pools, but also in shallow fresh and brackish water and in wetlands further inland (Richardson 1990, del Hoyo et al. 1996, Aspinall and Porter 2011). There is no information available about its diet in the UAE; elsewhere it is omnivorous and feeds mainly on marine nereid worms, small bivalves and snails, crustaceans, insects, as well as the seeds of aquatic plants (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Snow and Perrins 1998). The species is migratory. Birds wintering in the UAE breed in June in wet lowlands of subarctic Scandinavia (Richardson 1990, del Hoyo et al. 1996). Individuals leave the breeding grounds by July, and stop-over in substantial numbers in Sivash (southern Ukraine) and on the Caspian Sea or the Bulgarian seaboard, before arriving in wintering grounds in late July and August (Richardson 1990, del Hoyo et al. 1996). The species migrates singly or in small groups, although during the spring migration flocks of up to several hundred can occur (del Hoyo et al. 1996). The population departs the wintering grounds in spring in April or May (Richardson 1990, del Hoyo et al. 1996).A few non-breeding birds remain at the wintering sites during the summer (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Pedersen et al. 2017).

This species occurs on the edges of freshwater wetlands, mostly at ponds, water treatment plants and in irrigated grassland (Richardson 1990, Aspinall and Porter 2011). It is rarely found in saline habitats like mudflats and only sometimes on shorelines and rocky coasts (Richardson 1990). There is no information available about its diet in the UAE; elsewhere it consists of adult and larval insects, spiders, molluscs, snails, crustaceans, annelids, and occasionally frogs, toads, tadpoles and small fish, as well as plant material (Urban et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996). It forages solitarily during the day (Richardson 1990, del Hoyo et al. 1996), but may aggregate at night into roosts of over 100 individuals (Johnsgard 1981, del Hoyo et al. 1996). The species is migratory (del Hoyo et al. 1996). It breeds between May and June on freshwater margins throughout Eurasia (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Snow and Perrins 1998). Immature individuals may also remain in the winter range throughout the summer breeding season (Snow and Perrins 1998, Pedersen et al. 2017).

This species inhabits rocky, arid mountain hillsides, wadis, gravel plains and deserts, often interspersed with acacia (Jennings 2010, Aspinall and Porter 2011). There is no information available about its diet in the UAE; elsewhere it takes seeds mainly of acacia, but also of Indigofera, Asphodelus, Salsola and Cassia bushes (Jennings 2010). Shortly before sunrise and after sunset, the species gathers in small groups of 10 to 15 birds at water sources (Jennings 2010). The species is probably more active during the night than during the day, when it retreats to shady places, e.g. under an acacia bush (Jennings 2010). It is well camouflaged and only flushes late, responding to disturbance with short-distance flights to hide behind some nearby vegetation or rock (Jennings 2010). It is likely that the species is generally not a good flier and only travels short distances to water sources (Jennings 2010). Pairs are regularly observed during January to October, with a peak between February and May (Jennings 2010). Egg-laying starts in February, and chicks are observed between March and August (Jennings 2010). The nest is scraped in stony or gravelly ground and unlined, and is sometimes placed next to a rock or bush (Jennings 2010). Both parents incubate the eggs and raise the young; families stick together until the chicks are fully grown (Jennings 2010).

This species occurs in lowland plains, preferably in sandy, but also in gravelly or bare country and scrubland (Jennings 2010, Aspinall and Porter 2011). It also frequents coastal dunes, beaches and inshore islands (Aspinall and Porter 2011). Even though it inhabits mostly arid zones, it needs daily access to water, for which it may fly more than 30 km one way (Jennings 2010). There is no information available on its diet in the UAE; elsewhere in Arabia and Africa it takes seeds, spilt grain, plant shoots and insects (Jennings 2010). The species is undergoing seasonal feeding movements, which are most likely triggered by food shortage in the area (Jennings 2010). The species breeds opportunistically when conditions are favourable and rainfall has been sufficient. Consequently, it may breed year-round, though most breeding activity has been recorded in April and May (Jennings 2010). The nest is scraped in the sand or gravel, often unshaded and in bare country, although there is usually some vegetation nearby (Jennings 2010). Clutches contain two to three eggs. Both adults assist in incubating the eggs and raising the young, which often stick to their parents until fully grown (Jennings 2010).

This species occurs in brackish and freshwater habitats with dense vegetation cover, like swamps, reed beds and lake borders, but it may also be found in small temporary wetlands (Jennings 2010, Aspinall and Porter 2011). The species is mainly crepuscular and forages in the early-morning and late-evening (del Hoyo et al. 1996). There is no information available about its diet in the UAE; elsewhere the diet consists predominantly of plant matter including shoots, leaves, roots, stems, flowers and seeds (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Taylor and van Perlo 1998). It also takes animal matter including molluscs, leeches, small crustaceans, adult and larval insects, earthworms, spiders, fish and fish eggs, frogs and frog spawn, lizards, water snakes Natrix maura, adult birds, bird eggs and nestlings, small rodents and carrion (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Taylor and van Perlo 1998). Its breeding biology is not well studied; the timing of breeding is unknown and seems to be erratic, as chicks have been recorded in Dubai in October and April (Jennings 2010). No nest has been described from the UAE. Elsewhere, it breeds in solitary territorial pairs or in small communal groups containing several breeding males, breeding females and non-breeding helpers and the nest it is a shallow cup in a large substantial structure of vegetation built on a platform of vegetation floating on or standing in shallow water 30-120 cm deep and concealed in thick vegetation (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Taylor and van Perlo 1998).

This species occurs in semi-deserts, often interspersed with palm or scrub (Aspinall and Porter 2011). The species is migratory; after breeding in south-central Asia, individuals winter in the UAE or pass through the country on their way to wintering grounds in the Sahel zone of Africa. There is no information available on its feeding habits, nor on its breeding behaviour in the UAE. Elsewhere it feeds singly or in small flocks low over the ground near water, bushes, over cultivated land or livestock enclosures, where it takes mainly insects (Cleere 2019). It breeds from spring to early summer. Eggs are laid directly on the ground in a depression among stones, sheltered by a small bush. Clutches contain one to two eggs (Cleere 2019).

This species inhabits lithified sandy areas and arid, rocky areas like mountains and steppe in the lowlands below 1,000 m. It is found on cliffs, crags, rocky outcrops and small isolated hills on the plains, as well as in sandy deserts interspersed with trees and bushes, often near the coast (Jennings 2010, Aspinall and Porter 2011). It feeds mainly on rodents (Lepus, Rattus, Meriones, Jaculus and Gerbillus species), but also on birds, bats, lizards and large invertebrates (Jennings 2010). When available, it is drawn to troughs and wells for drinking water (Jennings 2010). It generally avoids proximity to humans (Jennings 2010). Being solitary between August and December, pairs form in December and begin breeding in late January. The species nests on the ground, under Leptadenia and Ghaf vegetation,;in rock cavities, protected by an overhang, in an unlined sandy depression, which may be used in consecutive years (Jennings 2010). Clutches contain two or three eggs. Juveniles in the nest have been recorded until June (Jennings 2010). Humans approaching the nest are chased off by angry distraction displays including hooting and screaming, bill snapping, flapping along the ground and tumbling down slopes (Jennings 2010).