Ruff (Philomachus pugnax)

He's beautiful, and you've got some lovely iridescence in this image too Dalcio.

We don't have a representative from the States in the Opus as yet, and we don't have a picture showing this stage of plumage either! Is this a male developing his breeding colours (though it seems a bit late in the year)? Any help you can give me on this individual would be much appreciated my friend. Do they breed in Florida? (I think they do, according to Avibase.)

Lovely colours and details in this image.

Hi Delia,

Ruff is a rare but regular migrant in the USA and has been known to occasionally breed in Alaska and arctic Canada. Every year a few individuals are found during migration on spots that concentrate migrating waders in the USA. Based on photos by other birders of this same individual it seems that his ruff (the collar around the neck and base of neck on the bird's back) is still growing and it is indeed a beautiful iridescent navy blue. Thus this bird is an adult male finishing its molting into breeding plumage and is presumably on its way to the traditional breeding grounds in extreme northern Eurasia.

Thanks very much Dalcio.

I think I'll put your picture on the article shortly - many thanks my friend.