Status in UK:
(A) Migrant Breeder, Passage/Winter Visitor
Subspecies:
Monotypic
.
Length:
25 cm
Wingspan:
53 cm
Weight:
M: 180 g F: 110 g
Scientific name from:
Gr.: philomachus=pugnacious
and L.: pugnare=to fight
World Distribution:
BREEDS: Locally in Europe, n&c Asia, WINTERS: south to s Africa & Australia
Habitat:
Grassy tundra, lakes, farmland, on migration mudflat
Diet:
Invertebrates, especially insects, some plant material (esp winter)
TitBit:
The males are spectacular, using their large ruff of feathers round the neck to attract females; those with white ruffs ('satellite' males) do not display to females, but sneak matings where they can
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
No population trend available
Distribution:
No distribution maps available
British Population Size:
Winter:
700 individuals
in 1987-92
Summer:
37 males
in 1998-02
Passage:
1100 individuals
First Record:
15th Century
[Fossil evidence from
early Holocene, up to 10,000 yr ago]
First Breeding Record:
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk (after extinct 1898) 1963
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
No habitat data from BBS
European Population Size:
Summer:
60 to 90 thousand pairs
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
WCA(I), WBD(I& II*), Bern(III), Bonn(II), AEWA
Survey Results:
Wetland Bird Survey Alerts
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
44 x 31 mm
Egg Weight:
21.0 g (of which 5 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
0
Clutch Size:
4 eggs
Incubation:
20 - 23 days
by the:
Female
Fledging:
25 - 28 days
as:
Precocial, downy
First Clutches Laid:
Unavailable
Number of Broods:
1
Number Ringed:
19
Adult Survival:
No data
Juvenile Survival:
No data
Age at First Breeding:
2
years
Typical Lifespan:
No data
Maximum Recorded Age:
9yr0m
(Finland: 13yr 11m)
Biometrics
Ring Size:
C (females) or D (male and pulli)
Wing Length
Adult:
Insufficient Data.
Juvenile:
169.4 ± 15.9
152 - 194 mm, N =69
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Weight
Adult:
Insufficient Data.
Juvenile:
136.8 ± 43.19
85.00 - 215.0 g , N =61
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Other Names
Reeve (female)
Gaelic:
Gibeagan
Welsh:
Pibydd Totchog
Danish:
Brushane
Dutch:
Kemphaan
Finnish:
Suokukko
French:
Chevalier combattant
German:
Kampfläufer
Hungarian:
Pajzsoscankó
Icelandic:
Rúkragi
Irish:
Rufachán
Italian:
Combattante
Norwegian:
Brushane
Polish:
Batalion
Portuguese:
Combatente
Spanish:
Combatiente
Swedish:
Brushane
Collective Noun: Hill
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Rhijn, J. 1991 The ruff : individuality in a gregarious wading bird Poyser, London
[598.612 RHI]
See Also:
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
Wikipedia entry
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides.com
These data should be cited as: Robinson, R.A. (2005) BirdFacts: profiles of birds occurring in Britain & Ireland (v1.22, Oct 2008). BTO Research Report 407, BTO, Thetford (http://www.bto.org/birdfacts)
button; for sources point at the 
button
Other Names
