Ruff

Migrant and non-breeding visitor in small numbers.

Medium-sized shorebird with short, slightly decurved bill, small head and medium length olive to orange-coloured legs. Habitually raises mantle feathers above back-profile. Males significantly larger than females. In flight, long-winged and lazy-looking wing action; toes project beyond tail; from above, thin mid-wingbar and white patches on rump either side of dark centre distinctive. From below, wing coverts plain white. Ad B: (Feb – Aug) Fully breeding plumaged males (not so far recorded in Malaysia) have bare facial skin and extravagant ‘ruff’ of elongated feathers surrounding the head which are variable in colour, but usually some combination of chestnut, white and black. Spring males in Malaysia may develop some breeding colours on the mantle, scapulars and tertials – a variable combination of chestnut and black with transverse barring. The breast may also assume some breeding feathers, which may be white or black blotches or transverse bars. Belly and vent white. Males are larger than Common Redshank and have bright orange or olive-yellow legs. Females are smaller – a little larger than Wood Sandpiper – and duller, with pale brown head, often with some white at the bill base; mostly white below and dull grey-brown above, with darker feather centres and paler edges. Some have orange legs in late spring. Ad Nb: (Sep – Jan) Both sexes dull grey-brown above, head pattern rather featureless other than paler throat and forehead; Upperpart feathers look oval-shaped and have dark brown centres with buff edges. Below, throat to vent white, throat and breast overlaid with variable grey-brown blotches or faint transverse bars (never streaks). Legs olive-green. Juv: (Aug – Oct) Variable, but in general, looks neater than Ad Nb, with sharper definition between dark feather centres and pale edges. Scapulars, tertials and wing coverts have dark subterminal marks. Throat to breast may have pale peach wash with variable grey-brown blotches at breast sides. Belly and vent white. Legs olive-yellow.

Because of highly variable plumage, best identified by its distinctive shape, appearing large-bodied and small-headed. Lack of streaks on underparts and. frequently, pale patch above bill differentiate it from all other similar species.

Forages alone, in small groups, or mingling with other species, often belly-deep and probing with bill held near vertical. Favours freshwater habitats (e.g. rice paddies) but occasionally turns up in saline intertidal areas.

Occurs in small numbers (rarely more than 15 birds) along the west coastal plain and wherever coastal marshes or paddyfields occur east of the main range of Peninsular Malaysia and in similar coastal habitats in Bornean Malaysia, most frequent in western Sarawak and the north-east coast of Sabah.

Most frequently seen from late Aug – mid-April.