Ruff
suokukko · Calidris pugnax
Photo: Arjan Haverkamp, CC BY 2.0
Family: Scolopacidae (Kurpat) · Size: 22–32 cm
The ruff is a medium-sized wading bird that breeds in marshes and wet meadows across northern Eurasia. This highly gregarious sandpiper displays striking sexual dimorphism, with males considerably larger than females and developing elaborate breeding plumage featuring brightly coloured head tufts, bare orange facial skin, and a large collar of ornamental feathers that inspired this bird's English name. Males employ a variety of strategies to obtain mating opportunities at a lek, while females independently manage all nesting duties, laying four eggs in concealed ground nests.
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