Ruff
Latin: Calidris pugnax (Linné 1758)
Svenska: Brushane
Deutsch: Kampfläufer
A dance of feathers
During the spring, many male ruffs have stately gorgets. The males with dark gorgets fight with one another to draw the attention of the females. Still others have white gorgets, and these birds tend to stay in the background. There are also male ruffs who have the same colouring as the females!
In the 19th century, ruffs thrived in Uppland. They raised their young in open shore meadows. The last ruffs hatched in Uppland were near Ledskär in the late 1980’s. Today, ruffs raise their young farther north in Sweden. If you want to see the ruff’s wild display, you should head over to Hjälstaviken during the second week of May.
Many ruffs pass by Uppland on their migration, from mid June to October. They spend the winter in sub-Saharan Africa. In May, the ruffs pass by again on their way northwards.
Latest sightings of ruffs in Uppland
NatureGate on the ruff
Wikipedia article on the ruff