Ruff, Sweden 13 May 2019 (1 Viewer)

Dear members and bird watchers

Back home after 4 weeks of birding in Sweden. I spotted Ruff for the first time. Walking along the beach and I identified the birds in PICTURE #1 as
- Common Redshank
- Female ruff
- Male ruff

But after studying about the ruff on the picture I realize that it is
- Female ruff
- Male ruff (territorial male)
- Male ruff (Satellite male)

And I got more confused as I studied, there is a third kind of male looking like females. So I´m not sure the birds in picture #1 and #2 are females

Picture #3 looks like a Satellite male as the bird in picture #4. But the bird in picture #4 have a different colour on the “ruff” and not an orange face

Picture #5 and I got it to a territorial male.

Anyone here know if I´m right, and are the males in full breeding uniform? Cant really see any ruff, except for in the wind and sometimes the blow themselves up if another bird come too close, like the common ringed plover.

Maybe the bird in #4 have come longer in the mould in to breeding uniform than the bird in picture #3?

Anyone kind that can help me with this?
Kind regards and happy birding
Aladdin

Yep, pic 1 is female and 2 male Ruff; pic 2 both females :t:


Of male Ruffs, there's about as many plumage types as there are individuals 3

Nutcracker said:

Yep, pic 1 is female and 2 male Ruff; pic 2 both females :t:


Of male Ruffs, there's about as many plumage types as there are individuals 3

Click to expand...

Nutcracker!

Thanks yet again for your assistance!

Yes, the ruffs are very different. I will call the white for satellite and the brown for a territorial

Thanks again and happy birding
Aladdin

I've posted this before but seems relevent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=644vxcAxNF8&list=PLJQimV2945yz9N7QTte6AX_N5GihZhdBh&index=4

andyadcock said:

I've posted this before but seems relevent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=644vxcAxNF8&list=PLJQimV2945yz9N7QTte6AX_N5GihZhdBh&index=4

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Thank you andyadcock

Very nice, oh, how I wish I could experience something like that. I can´t say that I understood what was going on, but looks like the birds on my pictures are only half way through the mould to breeding

Kind regards and happy birding
Aladdin

Not sure exactly how long male Ruffs have their full ruff for, but it isn't long, probably less than a month. Birds in early to mid May don't have full ruffs yet; failed breeders returning in mid June are already losing them.

Nutcracker said:

Not sure exactly how long male Ruffs have their full ruff for, but it isn't long, probably less than a month. Birds in early to mid May don't have full ruffs yet; failed breeders returning in mid June are already losing them.

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Cheers Nutcracker

I will see when I go to Europe next time, I would really like to see one of the lek. I read somewhere that you have some areas with ruffs in UK where they stay 12 months per year

Where I live we see the waders in winter uniform

Kine regards and happy birding
Aladdin