The ruff is a photogenic medium-sized wading bird which belongs to the sandpiper family. Its mating dance is renown. Year after year, towards the end of May, they gather for collective courtship displays at sites known as leks. During the mating display, the fearless males puff up their multicoloured feathery crowns dancing around each other. Poised and elegant, they resemble proud princes of medieval times. The colouring of the males’ neck plumage can vary from grey and brown to totally white. The most suprising thing is that their mating display is almost silent.
We will leave from Ivalo or Inari in the morning or early afternoon, depending on the weather conditions and sunlight. We drive north until the coniferous forest ends and the subartic birch zone begins. This area has large wetlands. After a 1 km walk, we arrive near a wetland area strewn with hump-shapes palsa plateaus where the ruffs’ mating displays take place. We will hide under a camouflage cover and begin observing and photographing the mating display from there.
Species we expect to encounter: ruff
Species we expect to encounter: ruff