Widespread, quite common breeder. Occurs on a wide range of lowland wetlands, such as fishponds, reservoirs, marshy areas with aquatic vegetation. Its largest population lives on the Great Plain but also breeds in wetlands of Transdanubia, sometimes in smaller lakes and reservoirs in hills. The breeding population is larger in years with better water conditions. Migratory (March–April and August–November), but some regularly overwinter.