Ruff

Philomachus pugnax
Sandpipers (Scolopacidae)

♂

CC-BY-SA 4.0 rights : RikenMon

Medium sized wader with scale-like feathers on its brown back and wings, white belly and rump. 
In breeding season the ♂gets remarkable head/neck feathers that can be erected. It can be white, green black, red-brown or even orange coloured with lots of variation. Its face and beak become orange. The ♀ does not change appearance and is more graceful and a little smaller.

The ♂ have shadow fights in spring, watched by the ♀ to pick a good mate, black collars are often favourite. After mating the ♀ tends the nest. Prefers freshwater to find food at banks or flooded fields. 

⇔ l. ♀ 24 cm ♂ 30 cm

syn. CALIDRIS PUGNAX

LA:
While breeding the ♂ is unmistakable. 
≈ The TRINGA GLAREOLA (Wood sandpiper) has less pronounced colours on its back and is darker. 
≈ The TRINGA NEBULARIA (Greenshank) is larger and more grey coloured.

Where?

Family(18)

WWW info

Compare

Continu searching

Size

Shape

Colour

Legs

Beak

Neck

Tail