Page 202 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

WADERS
Order Charadriiformes Family Scolopacidae Species Philomachus pugnax
head often
Ruff white
pale belly
boldly legs may
thin white blotched be red MALE
wingbar back (WINTER) short,
smaller than faintly
male curved
bill
FEMALE
JUVENILE (SUMMER)
white (AUTUMN)
on sides reddish legs
of dark IN FLIGHT
rump bright ochre-
buff on head
curly tufts of variable
colours on crown and breast
bright buff edges
broad feathery on dark brown male larger than
ruff of varying feathers female
coloration
chequered
back long, pale yellow-
ochre legs

MALE (SPRING)
JUVENILE
FLIGHT: rather slow, with shallow, soft beats of (AUTUMN)
rather long wings.
ale Ruffs in spring look extraordinary, and the females in summer
Mare boldly blotched; in winter, they retain little individuality.
Juveniles in autumn, which are most often seen in Europe, are much
more consistent in appearance.They appear in mid-autumn on wet,
muddy edges of lakes and reservoirs, looking quite sedate compared
with smaller waders or even Redshanks, with a steady, plodding action
that rarely gets close to a run.
VOICE Very quiet; occasionally low, gruff wek. DISPLAYING
NESTING Grass-lined scrape, well hidden in deep vegetation at edge Male Ruffs display in groups to females, with
of marsh; 4 eggs; 1 brood;April–July. mock battles, their unusual breeding plumage
FEEDING Probes in soft mud for worms, insects, insect larvae, and seeds. creating a striking spectacle.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Breeds on wet meadowland;
less scaly declining and local in NW Europe,
more back more widespread in NE. At other
spotted
above times, on wet fields and marshes,
white eye- muddy freshwater margins, most
stripe commonly autumn juveniles, some
browner
winter on western estuaries.
WOOD SANDPIPER autumn REDSHANK similar
juvenile, similar to autumn to adult winter; Seen in the UK
juvenile; see p.185 see p.187 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 20–32cm (8–12 1 ⁄2 in) Wingspan 46–58cm (18–23in) Weight 70–230g (2 1 ⁄2 –8oz)
Social Small flocks Lifespan 10–15 years Status Secure†
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