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  • Ruff

Ruff

Ruff (male summer plumage)
Ruff (male summer plumage)
Ruff (female)
Ruff (female)
  • Scientific name: Philomachus pugnax
  • Bird family: Sandpipers, snipes and phalaropes
  • UK conservation status: Red
  • Protected by The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

Key information

The ruff is a medium-sized wading bird. It has a long neck, a small head, a rather short slightly droopy bill and medium-long orange or reddish leg. In flight it shows a faint wing-stripe and oval white patches either side of the tail.

It breeds in a very few lowland sites in eastern England and it appears numbers are dropping. It is a migrant but in the UK some birds are present all year round. Many young birds from Scandinavia visit the UK in late summer, then migrating on to Africa. It is listed under Schedule 1 of The Wildlife and Countryside Act. 

What they eat:

Insects, larvae, frogs, small fish, seeds.

Measurements:

Length:
20-32 cm
Wingspan:
46-58cm
Weight:
70-150 g

Population:

UK breeding is the number of pairs breeding annually. UK wintering is the number of individuals present from October to March. UK passage is the number of individuals passing through on migration in spring and/or autumn.
UK breeding:
0-11 females
UK wintering:
820 birds

Identifying features:

This bird species has different identifying features depending on sex/age/season.

Ruff (male summer plumage)

Ruffs, summer plumage
Feather colour: Black Brown Cream/buff Grey Orange White
Leg colour: Orange Pink Yellow
Beak: Brown Orange Long Curved Medium thickness
Natural habitats: Farmland Grassland Wetland

Ruff (female)

Female ruff
Feather colour: Black Brown Cream/buff Grey White
Leg colour: Orange Pink Yellow
Beak: Black Long Curved Medium thickness
Natural habitats: Farmland Grassland Wetland

Similar birds:

Redshank, summer plumage
Redshank

Where and when to see them

Ruffs are best looked for on passage in spring and autumn in suitable habitat, particularly on the east and south coasts of the UK. Some birds overwinter, generally near the coast. Try some of the RSPB coastal wetland reserves, where there are lagoons, such as Titchwell, Norfolk.

* This map is intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations.
  • Resident
  • Passage
  • Summer
  • Winter
Ruff distribution map

Ruffs can be seen all year round.

  • jan
  • feb
  • mar
  • apr
  • may
  • jun
  • jul
  • aug
  • sep
  • oct
  • nov
  • dec

Video

Ruffs mostly live in wetland areas

Ruffs mostly live in wetland areas

Ruff video screenshot

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