Ruffs

The Ruff (Philomachus pugnax, sometimes listed as Calidris pugnax) is a medium-sized wading bird in the family Scolopacidae. Adults measure about 24–28 cm in length with a wingspan of around 50–60 cm. The most distinctive feature is the breeding plumage of the male, which develops a ruff of loose feathers around the neck and a variably colored collar; the female and non-breeding males wear more subdued brownish plumage.

Ruffs breed across northern Europe and temperate Asia, from the British Isles to Siberia, and migrate to sub-Saharan Africa, southern Asia, and parts of the Middle East for wintering. They favor wet meadows, marshes, lake shores, and other shallow wetlands with short vegetation.

The Ruff is notable for its lek-like mating system, in which groups of males gather and display for females. The species exhibits three male morphs: independents (territorial, with full ornate ruff and collar), satellites (non-territorial, paler), and faeders (female-mimicking males that lack ruff and display). Females choose among displaying males; after mating, eggs are laid in a ground scrape and incubated primarily by the female, with some male involvement in certain populations. Chicks are precocial and fledge after several weeks.

Ruffs forage by probing and picking in mud and shallow water, feeding on insects, crustaceans, worms, and plant material.

The Ruff has a wide range and is not globally classified as threatened, though regional declines have occurred where wetland drainage and heavy hunting pressure reduce suitable habitat. Global population trends are monitored, and the species is protected in parts of its range.