In courtship some Ruffs are fighters, some are lovers, and a few are downright sneaky, its written in their genes.

Ruff

Ruffs are Eurasian shorebirds that breed in the wetlands across northern Europe and Asia. The patches of marshes were Ruffs breed are called leks.

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Male Ruffs are larger than females and have a ruffed collar. Among all shorebirds the male Ruffs have the most spectacular plumage.

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Scientist have found that male Ruffs are genetically divided into three types, independents, satellites, and faeders. Each type of male Ruff has its own courtship technique.

Independent Male Ruffs

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Independent male Ruffs are 80% to 95% of the male populations of Ruffs. The independent males have fancy plumage and an appetite for fighting.

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Satellite Male Ruffs

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Satellite male Ruffs are 5% to 20% of the male population of Ruffs. The satellite males have a white collar. Although not as colorful as the independent male Ruffs, the satellite males display their feathers alongside the independents to help attract female Ruffs to the lek.

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The independent male Ruffs tolerate the satellite males and occasionally allow the satellite males to mate.

Feader Male Ruffs

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Feader male Ruffs are less than 1% of the male population of Ruffs. The feader males look like female Ruffs. Feader males don't have any colorful feathers and don't fight. The feader male Ruffs blend in and mingle with the female Ruffs. When a female Ruff indicates she is ready to mate, the feader Ruff sneaks in and mates with the female before the independent male.

Sources and Full Articles

Among Ruffs, Some “Fight-Loving Fighters” Don’t Like To Fight, The Cornell Lab of Ornithology -- All About Birds, 13 June 2018

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