Ruff

Feeding Behavior

Forages while walking or wading, by picking up items from surface or probing in water or mud. Sometimes forages actively, running about on open mudflats. May feed by day or night.

Eggs

4, sometimes 2-3. Olive to green, blotched with brown. Incubation is by female only, 20-23 days. Young: Downy young leave nest soon after hatching. Female feeds young at first, but they learn to feed themselves after a few days. Age at first flight about 25-28 days.

Young

Downy young leave nest soon after hatching. Female feeds young at first, but they learn to feed themselves after a few days. Age at first flight about 25-28 days.

Diet

Mostly insects and other invertebrates, also seeds. Diet in North America not well known. In Eurasia, eats many insects, especially flies, beetles, caddisflies. Also eats small mollusks, crustaceans, spiders, worms, small fish, frogs. During migration and winter may eat many seeds, sometimes forming major part of diet.

Nesting

Has nested once in Alaska, but information here applies to Eurasian birds. Males gather in spring on "leks" and display to attract females. In display, male raises head tufts and neck ruff, flutters wings, may leap in air; many other elaborate postures including bowing, crouching with feathers fluffed up, standing tall. Usually silent during display. Males often fight. Female visits lek, mates with one of the males; male takes no part in caring for eggs or young. Nest site is on ground, well hidden in grass or marsh. Nest (built by female) is shallow depression lined with grasses.