Ruff, Philomachus pugnax

This Eurasian species is found in the SF Bay Area in small numbers every winter. The adult male shown in the top five pictures was in New Chicago Marsh, Alviso, our best spot for the species, in Fall of 2006.

In Fall 2007, we had two juvenile male Ruffs, again in New Chicago Marsh along the entrance road to Edwards NWR. Below one of the birds, by itself, and then with two Lesser Yellowlegs.

In Fall 2004, we had at least one female and two males, all adults, at New Chicago Marsh. Females are much smaller than males, on average about 60% in weight. The forward bird here looks enough smaller to me to be a female, but I suspect it is the smaller male. The bird on the right shows the barred tertials sometimes found in Ruff winter plumage. The loose fluffy feathers are characteristic of the species, seen also in the 2007 picture with the Lesser Yellowlegs.