Calidris pugnax
The Ruff, scientifically known as *Calidris pugnax*, is a fascinating medium-sized shorebird renowned for its extraordinary sexual dimorphism and unique breeding behavior. Males average 29–32 cm in length with a wingspan of 54–60 cm and weigh 130–230 g, while females (called Reeves) are considerably smaller at 22–26 cm, 46–49 cm wingspan, and 85–130 g. During the breeding season, males develop a spectacular and highly variable ruff of ornamental feathers around the neck, often accompanied by ...
Ruffs primarily inhabit wet grasslands, tundras, and marshy areas for breeding, utilizing shallow freshwater wetlands, rice fields, and coastal mudflats during migration and winter. They are typically found in lowland areas, rarely at significant elevations.
Their diet primarily consists of insects and their larvae (especially flies, beetles, and dragonflies), earthworms, small crustaceans, and occasionally seeds or small amounts of vegetation. They forage by probing, gleaning, and pecking in soft mud or shallow water.
Outside the breeding season, Ruffs are highly gregarious, forming large flocks while foraging and roosting in open, often wet, environments. They typically forage by probing and gleaning in shallow water or on soft mud, actively searching for invertebrates during daylight hours and occasionally a...
The Ruff breeds across a vast circumpolar range in the Arctic and subarctic tundras and wet grasslands of Eurasia, from Scandinavia eastward through Russia to the Bering Sea. Following the breeding season, these birds undertake extensive migrations, primarily wintering in sub-Saharan Africa, with...
Least Concern
- The Ruff is one of the few bird species known to practice a lek mating system, where males gather in communal display areas to attract females. - Male Ruffs exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism, growing spectacular ruffs and ear-tufts during the breeding season that are unique to each individual. ...