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Ruff


Ruff
Photo Information
Copyright: Razvan Zinica (zetu) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 643 W: 15 N: 1561] (6085)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-04-03
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 40d, Canon EF 100-400 mm F4.5-5.6L IS USM
Exposure: f/8, 1/320 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-05-23 3:18
Viewed: 461
Points: 28
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) is a medium-sized wader which breeds on marshes and wet meadows across northern Eurasia. The male is much larger than the female (the reeve), and has a breeding plumage which includes brightly coloured head tufts and the large collar of feathers which led to the species' current name. The head and neck ornaments are erected as part of an elaborate display at a lek in which three differently plumaged types of male utilise a variety of strategies, including female mimicry, to gain access to the reeves. The female lays four eggs in a well-hidden ground nest, incubating and rearing the chicks on her own. Predators of chicks and eggs include mammals such as foxes, feral cats and stoats, and birds including large gulls, corvids and skuas.
This highly gregarious species is migratory, wintering, sometimes in huge flocks, in southern and western Europe, Africa, southern Asia and Australia. It forages in wet grassland and soft mud, probing or searching by sight for edible items. Insects are the main food, especially in the breeding season, but the Ruff will take plant material, including rice and maize, on migration and in winter.
The Ruff is usually considered to be the only member of its genus, with the Broad-billed and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers as its closest relatives. Although this bird's overall status is secure due to the large numbers breeding in Scandinavia and the Arctic, its range in much of Europe is contracting due to drainage, increased fertiliser use, the loss of mown or grazed breeding sites, and over-hunting.
The Ruff has a distinctive "gravy boat" appearance, with a small head, medium-length bill, longish neck and pot-bellied body. It has long legs, variable in colour but usually yellow or orange. In flight, it has a deeper, slower wing action than other waders of a similar size, and shows a thin, indistinct white bar on the wing, and white ovals on the tail sides.
This species shows sexual dimorphism; the male is much larger than the female and has a distinctive set of breeding plumages. He is 29–32 cm (11.4–12.6 in) long with a 54–60 cm (21.25–23.6 in) wingspan, and weighs about 180 g (6.4 oz). In the May to June breeding season, the male's legs, bill and warty bare facial skin are orange, and he has distinctive head tufts and a neck ruff. These ornaments vary on individual birds; they may be black, chestnut or white, with the colouring solid, barred or irregular. The male Ruff's back is scaly grey-brown, often with some black or chestnut feathers, and the underparts are white with extensive black on the breast. The extreme variability of the breeding plumage is thought to have arisen to aid individual recognition in a species which has communal breeding displays, but is usually mute.
Outside the breeding season, the male's head and neck decorations and the bare facial skin are lost and the legs and bill become duller. The upperparts are scaly grey-brown, and the underparts are white with grey mottling on the breast and flanks.
The female, or "reeve", is 22–26 cm (8.7–10.2 in) long with a 46–49 cm (18.1–19.32 in) wingspan, and weighs 110 g (3.9 oz). In breeding plumage, she has grey-brown upperparts with white-fringed, dark-centred feathers. The breast and flanks are variably blotched with black. In winter, her plumage is similar to that of the male, but the sexes are distinguishable on size. The juvenile Ruff resembles the non-breeding adult, but has neat, scaly upperparts with dark feather centres, and a strong buff tinge to the underparts.
Two other waders can be confused with the Ruff. The juvenile Sharp-tailed Sandpiper is only a little smaller than a juvenile female Ruff and has a similar rich orange-buff breast, but the Ruff is slimmer with a longer neck and legs, a rounder head, and a much plainer face. The Buff-breasted Sandpiper also resembles a small juvenile Ruff, but even the female Ruff is noticeably larger than the sandpiper, with a longer bill, more rotund body and scaly upperparts.
Male Ruff start to moult into the main display plumage before their return to the breeding areas, and the proportion with head and neck decorations gradually increases through the spring. Second-year birds lag behind full adults in developing breeding plumage; since they have a lower body mass and a slower weight increase than adults, it may be that energy constraints during migration are the main reason of the delayed moult. Ruffs of both sexes have an additional moult stage between the winter and final summer plumages, a phenomenon also seen in the Bar-tailed Godwit. Before developing the full display finery with coloured ruff and tufts, the males replace part of their winter plumage with striped feathers, and females also develop a mix of winter and striped feathers before reaching their summer appearance. The final male breeding plumage results from the replacement of both winter and striped feathers, but the reeve retains the striped feathers and replaces only the winter feathers to reach her summer plumage. The striped prenuptial plumages may represent the 'original' breeding appearance of this species, the male's showy nuptial feathers evolving later under strong sexual selection pressures.
Adult males and most adult females start their pre-winter moult before returning south, but complete most feather replacement on the wintering grounds. In Kenya, males moulted 3–4 weeks ahead of the females, finishing before December, whereas females typically completed feather replacement during December and early January. Juveniles moulted into first winter body plumage during late September to November, and then underwent a pre-breeding moult similar in extent and timing to that of the adults, and often resulting in as brightly coloured an appearance.
siggi, Pearl, nasokoun, Alex99, jaycee, nglen, Noisette, SelenE has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2345 W: 92 N: 5348] (17102)
  • [2009-05-23 3:23]

Hello Razvan,
Veru beautiful photo of this Ruff. Splendid warm colours and a very nice reflection. Excellent sharpness, POV and composition.
Regards,
Peter

Ciao Razvan, my today neighbour, great capture of elegant bird, fantastic reflections, very well done, buon week end, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1336 W: 56 N: 4502] (15508)
  • [2009-05-23 3:54]

Hello Razvan,
I like the composition of your photo with the image of the bird reflected in the water. You have made good use of the light showing fine, natural looking colors. Image is sharp showing in details the pattern of bird's plumage.Best regards Siggi

  • Great 
  • Pearl Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 85 W: 25 N: 45] (137)
  • [2009-05-23 4:31]

Hello Razvan,

Lovely shot of this pretty looking bird. Good details, lighting and DOF. I like the POV and compositiion a lot. The reflection and the ripples around the bird gives a very nice touch. Well done. TFS.

Pearl.

hello Razvan
great photo,litted up clarity with beautiful reflection
TFS
Nasos

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3551 W: 143 N: 5621] (18399)
  • [2009-05-23 5:56]

Hi Razvan.
What a nice clear shot. I love brilliant and transparent colours of the picture, extreme details of the sweet bird, amazing mirror reflection of the bird image and delicate reproduction of the water. Bravo. Excellent refined work. My compliments.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2009-05-23 9:42]

Hi Razvan,

I love the simplicity of this Ruff picture and find it quite beautiful. Just the bird and its reflection surrounded by the calm water is lovely and so peaceful. Marvelous natural colors and fine details of the face, eye and very intricately patterned feathers. The composition is superb.

Jane

hello Razvan
wauwh this is sharpness
so beautiful with good light and great colours
greeting lou

Hi Razvan. Other good capture and aother splendid reflection. Excellent sharp.

Roberto

Superba imagine a pasarii. Nu ai uitat de reflexia in apa al acesteia. Culori naturale si detalii pe masura. Bine surprinsa pozitia....

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2860 W: 34 N: 8481] (31692)
  • [2009-05-23 11:43]

Hi Razvan. Firstly thanks for the interesting notes to go with the fine picture of the Ruff. I like the refection i the clear water. with natural colours. You POv lets us see all of the bird with good detail in the well marked feathers. well done tFS.
Nick..

Hello Razvan
very sharp shot of this Ruff with great details on the plumage
beautiful pose with nice reflection in the water
the colors and lighting are superb
Have a good evening
Jacqueline

O "captura" minunata, de palmares. Cropul putin stramt inse pentru tot restul, o minunatie. Bravos

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2399 W: 63 N: 4206] (13770)
  • [2009-05-30 15:00]

Hi Razvan,
POV and composition including the full reflection of the bird look very good. Very nice details on the plumage. TFS
Greetings,
Selen

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