Ruff Ruff

1. Extreme sexual dimorphism: breeding males have elaborate neck ruffs and are much larger than females

2. Medium-sized wader with a short, slightly drooped bill

3. In flight: white underwings, white rump sides, and feet projecting past the tail

Ruffs feed by probing and picking in mud or shallow water, taking insects, crustaceans, molluscs, worms, and sometimes seeds or plant material. Their feeding style includes walking steadily and pecking by sight, but they may also wade deeply or even swim like phalaropes in some regions. They are mostly silent, even during the breeding season, and their flight call is a soft croak. The Ruff’s breeding system is among the most complex of any bird. Breeding across Northern Eurasia between March-June, males gather at leks (communal display grounds) where they compete for females. There are three genetically distinct types of males:

1. Territorial males with ornate ruffs and aggressive displays

2. Satellite males with paler or white ruffs who do not hold territories

3. Faeder males, rare female mimics that sneak matings by resembling females

Females are polyandrous, often mating with multiple males. Only females incubate and rear the chicks, which are precocial and feed themselves soon after hatching.

Ruffs are rare but regular vagrants in Australia, usually appearing singly at a wide range of wetland habitatscoastal mudflats, estuaries, inland lakes, sewage ponds, and flooded fields. Most sightings are during the southern summer when birds are in non-breeding plumage between September-April. The east coast, especially the Hunter Estuary (NSW) and southeast Queensland, are the most reliable locations, but they can turn up anywhere suitable habitat exists.