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Watch: The Fascinating Courtship of Ruffs

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Author Cayla de Souza, M.Sc. Ocean Sciences & Marine Biology

Two ruff birds fighting while one calmly watches
BBC Earth YouTube

The Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) is a medium-sized wading bird known for its unique mating behaviors and striking sexual dimorphism. This species, which breeds in marshes and wet meadows across northern Eurasia, has intrigued scientists and bird enthusiasts with its elaborate courtship displays and exuberant male plumage.

Credit: BBC Earth YouTube

Mating Rituals and Strategies

The lekking system is the most notable aspect of the Ruff’s breeding behavior. This is where males gather in a specific area, known as a lek, to perform courtship displays and attract females. The courtship displays a complex social interaction involving different types of males: the territorial independents, the less aggressive satellites, and the rare faeders.

  1. Territorial Independents: These males comprise about 84% of the male population. They are characterized by their brightly colored and varied ruffs and head tufts. They occupy and defend small territories within the lek, engaging in elaborate displays and occasional fights with rivals. Their displays include wing fluttering, jumping, and standing tall with ruffs erect.
  2. Satellite Males: Approximately 16% of males are satellites, identifiable by their white or mottled ruffs. They do not hold territories but instead move around within the lek, taking opportunities to mate with females when the independents are distracted. Their presence, along with their independence, attracts more females to the lek.
  3. Faeders: The rarest of the male types, faeders, account for about 1% of males. They are unique in their permanent female mimicry, being intermediate in size between males and females and lacking the ornamental plumage of other males. Faeders use their deceptive appearance to gain access to mating opportunities, often sneaking in to mate with females during disturbances.
YouTube video

Physical Characteristics and Habitat

Ruffs exhibit pronounced sexual dimorphism. Males are significantly larger than females (reeves) and have a breeding plumage that includes the ornamental neck ruff and head tufts. The female and non-breeding male have grey-brown upperparts and mainly white underparts. Ruffs forage in wet grassland and soft mud, feeding on insects and consuming plant material.

The species is migratory, forming large flocks in winter grounds, including Europe, Africa, southern Asia, and Australia. They breed in extensive lowland freshwater marshes and damp grasslands, avoiding barren tundra and areas with severe weather.

Conservation and Threats

While classified as “least concern” on the IUCN Red List, the Ruff faces challenges due to habitat loss, land drainage, increased fertilizer use, and overhunting in parts of its range. Conservation efforts focus on protecting wetland habitats and managing human activities that threaten these areas.

Their elaborate courtship rituals, diverse male strategies, and challenges in the wild make them a species of great interest to ornithologists and nature enthusiasts.

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