Ruff (Calidris pugnax)

This is a common widespread Palearctic (Eurasian) shorebird famous for forming leks in which polygamous males strut their flamboyant breeding plumes competing with other males for the attention of the much smaller females. In North America, this species is a rare migrant and winter visitor. This adult female seems to have settled in returning to the area for another winter. It was formerly placed in the monotypic genus Philomachus; but genetic studies support its inclusion in an enlarged Calidris. Clements, HBW, H&M and the AOU have adopted this change based on work by Gibson & Baker. However the IOC retained the old name up until this year when they finally went along with the rest of the world in version 10.2 of their world bird checklist.