Ruff (Calidris pugnax) lives in wet grasslands across Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, Asia. It feeds on insects & crustaceans. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Ruff
- Some Siberian breeders undertake an annual round trip of up to 30,000 km (19,000 mi) to the West African wintering grounds, showing the ruff's extraordinary endurance. The species is migratory, breeding in wetlands in colder regions of northern Eurasia and spending the northern winter in the tropics, mainly in Africa. Such long-distance travel demands fat stores and lipid metabolism.
- Male ruffs are 29-32 cm (11-13 in) long, have a 54-60 cm (21-24 in) wingspan and weigh 130-254 g (4.6-9.0 oz), making them the largest Calidris species. Females are noticeably smaller at 22-26 cm (8.7-10.2 in) long, a 46-49 cm (18-19 in) wingspan and 70-170 g (2.5-6.0 oz).
- The ruff's lek system hosts three male strategies: about 84 % are territorial males with bold black or chestnut ruffs, roughly 16 % are satellite males bearing white or mottled ruffs, and a rare 1 % are "faeder" males that mimic females and lack the ornamental plumage. Territorial males defend tiny 1-m arenas, while satellites sneak in to court females, and faeders slip unnoticed to steal copulations.
- Breeding populations peak in northern Europe: Russia supports more than 1 million pairs, Sweden 61,000 pairs, Finland 39,000 pairs and Norway 14,000 pairs. By contrast, the southern edge of the range holds fewer than 2,000 pairs across Britain, the Low Countries, Poland, Germany and Denmark.
- During winter the ruff can form staggering flocks; one dense group recorded in Senegal contained a million birds, while typical migratory gatherings number in the hundreds or thousands.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeSub-Saharan Africa, Europe, Asia
HabitatWet grasslands
DietInsects & crustaceans
About the Ruff
Across the misty wetlands, the Ruff emerges as a whirlwind of energy, its compact body a blur of motion as it darts and weaves through the shallow waters with an air of restless urgency. With each swift step, the Ruff's long legs seem to barely touch the ground, as if it is floating across the marshy landscape in pursuit of the tiny invertebrates that sustain it. As the light catches its intricately patterned plumage, the Ruff is transformed into a fleeting vision of tawny gold and chestnut, a true marvel of evolutionary adaptation in this ever-changing world.
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Ruff photographed on Feravox
