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Ruff

Calidris pugnax

Not yet photographed by the community

Males have remarkable neck ruffs at spring lek.

Species Profile

Amber List (UK); breeding population is scarce and declining

Lifespan: 10–15 years in the wild
Size & Weight: 20–32 cm, wingspan 48–58 cm; 75–230 g (males significantly larger than females)
Habitat: Breeds on wet grasslands, marshes, and moorlands; winters on coastal mudflats, estuaries, and inland water bodies.
UK Distribution: Scarce breeder in northern England and Scotland; more common passage migrant and winter visitor to coastal areas from August to April.
Diet: Invertebrates including insects, insect larvae, crustaceans, and worms obtained by probing in mud and shallow water.
Prey: Dipteran larvae, amphipods, chironomid larvae, small molluscs, and other benthic invertebrates
Predators: Peregrine falcons, golden eagles, merlins, and foxes; chicks also vulnerable to corvids and gulls
Mating Season: April to July
Breeding: Clutch of 4 eggs; incubation period 20–23 days; single brood; chicks fledge at 25–28 days
Behaviour: Males are highly polygamous and exhibit dramatic lek behaviour with elaborate displays of ear-tufts and neck ruff during breeding season. Gregarious outside breeding season, often forming flocks at estuaries. Males show extreme sexual dimorphism, with larger individuals dominating smaller rivals.

Did You Know?

•Male Ruffs are famous for their extraordinary breeding displays involving inflatable neck ruffs in striking colour patterns that vary from pure white to black, chestnut, or combinations thereof
•At breeding leks, males establish tiny defended territories where they display competitively; females visit purely to mate and receive no parental care from males
•The species exhibits rapid moult in spring and autumn, acquiring dramatically different plumages for breeding and non-breeding seasons
•Females (called Reeves) are much smaller than males and show less conspicuous plumage without the iconic ruff
•Ruff populations are migratory, with birds breeding in northern Eurasia and wintering across Africa, the Mediterranean, and coastal Europe

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