Ruff

Philomachus pugnax

Very rare breeder, common migrants & Winter visitors to Britain.

Breeds on taiga bogs of Siberia & Central Europe.

Winters in South Africa.

Breeding Males come in orange, brown, black & white variations.

Females or Reeves have ave grey-brown upperparts with white-fringed, dark-centred feathers.

The breast and flanks are variably blotched with black.

In Winter, the Females' plumage is similar to that of the Male, but the sexes are distinguishable by their size & bill colour.

Juveniles resembles the non-breeding Adult, but has upperparts with a neat, scale-like pattern with dark feather centres, and a strong buff tinge to the underparts

in flight, they show the white sides to the rump and the narrow white wingbar.