Calidris pugnax -- (Linnaeus, 1758) ANIMALIA -- CHORDATA -- AVES -- CHARADRIIFORMES -- SCOLOPACIDAE Common names: Ruff; Chevalier combattant European Red List Assessment European Red List Status LC -- Least Concern, (IUCN version 3.1) Assessment Information Year published: 2015 Date assessed: 2015-03-31 Assessor(s): BirdLife International Reviewer(s): Symes, A. Compiler(s): Ashpole, J., Burfield, I., Ieronymidou, C., Pople, R., Wheatley, H. & Wright, L. Assessment Rationale European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) EU27 regional assessment: Endangered (EN)

In Europe this species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population size is very large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern in Europe.

In the EU27 the species is undergoing very rapid declines, and it is therefore classified as Endangered (A2abc +3bc+4abc). Since the wider European population is also decreasing, there is not considered to be significant potential for rescue from outside the EU27 and the final category is unchanged. Occurrence Countries/Territories of Occurrence Native: Albania; Armenia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Belgium; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; France; Georgia; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Ireland, Rep. of; Italy; Latvia; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Malta; Moldova; Montenegro; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Turkey; Ukraine; United Kingdom Vagrant: Faroe Islands (to DK); Greenland (to DK); Iceland; Liechtenstein; Svalbard and Jan Mayen (to NO) Population The European population is estimated at 265,000-1,650,000 calling or lekking males, which equates to 531,000-3,310,000 mature individuals. The population in the EU27 is estimated at 22,300-49,000 calling or lekking males, which equates to 44,500-97,900 mature individuals. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Trend In Europe the population size is estimated to be decreasing by less than 25% in 15.9 years (three generations). In the EU27 the population size is estimated to be decreasing by 50-79% over the same period. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Habitats and Ecology The species inhabits tundra habitats from the coast to the Arctic treeline (Johnsgard et al. 1981, Van Gils et al. 2014) during the breeding season, requiring adjacent foraging, lekking and nesting areas (Van Gils et al. 2014). It shows a preference for dry mounds and slopes with low willow (Salix spp.) and dwarf birch (Betula spp.) as lekking areas (Van Gils et al. 2014, Snow and Perrins 1998), and dry patches of tall sedge as nesting sites. Suitable foraging habitats include littoral belts, deltas (Snow and Perrins 1998), coastal saltmarshes (Johnsgard et al. 1981) and extensive lowland freshwater wetlands such as small shallow lakes with marginal vegetation, grassy hummocky marshes (Johnsgard et al. 1981, Hayman et al. 1986, Van Gils et al. 2014, Snow and Perrins 1998), and damp swampy grasslands, with shallow pools or ditches. During the non- breeding season the species occupies the muddy margins of brackish, saline and alkaline lakes, ponds, pools, rivers, marshes and flood-plains, as well as freshly mown or grazed short-sward grasslands and wheat fields, usually roosting at night in the shallow waters of lake shores (Van Gils et al. 2014). It breeds from May to August (Hayman et al. 1986) with males gathering in suitable lekking areas to display and females nesting solitarily or in semi-colonial groups. The nest is concealed in marsh plants or meadow grass and is a shallow scrape lined with grass, leaves and stems. Clutches are generally four eggs but sometimes three. During the breeding season it feeds on mainly terrestrial and aquatic insects. Outside of the breeding season its diet is more varied, including small crustaceans, spiders, small molluscs, annelid worms, frogs and small fish (Van Gils et al. 2014). This species is fully migratory and the bulk of the population winters in sub-Saharan Africa. However small numbers do winter in north-west Europe, in southern Germany, the Netherlands and Great Britain (Hagemeijer and Blair 1997) Habitats & Altitude Habitat (level 1 - level 2) Importance Occurrence Artificial/Aquatic - Irrigated Land (includes irrigation channels) suitable non-breeding Artificial/Aquatic - Seasonally Flooded Agricultural Land major non-breeding Artificial/Terrestrial - Arable Land suitable non-breeding Artificial/Terrestrial - Pastureland suitable non-breeding Grassland - Temperate suitable non-breeding Marine Intertidal - Salt Marshes (Emergent Grasses) suitable breeding Marine Neritic - Estuaries suitable breeding Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over ha) suitable breeding Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under ha) suitable breeding Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Lakes (over ha) suitable breeding Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under ha) suitable breeding Altitude Occasional altitudinal limits Threats The species is threatened by petroleum pollution (Grishanov 2006), wetland and flood-plain drainage (Grishanov 2006, Van Gils and Garcia 2014) (for irrigation and water management) (Grishanov 2006), peat- extraction, and land abandonment and changing land management practices that lead to scrub and reed overgrowth (Grishanov 2006). The species may also suffer future population declines and range contractions as a result of global climate change (Zöckler 2002), and is susceptible to avian influenza (Melville and Shortridge 2006, Gaidet et al. 2007), avian botulism (Blaker 1967, van Heerden 1974, Hubalek et al. 2005) and avian malaria (Mendes et al. 2005), so may be threatened by future outbreaks of these diseases. Threats & Impacts Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses Climate change & Habitat shifting & Timing Scope Severity Impact severe weather alteration Future Whole (>90%) Unknown Unknown Stresses Ecosystem degradation; Indirect ecosystem effects Invasive and other Avian Influenza Timing Scope Severity Impact problematic Virus (H subtype) Past, Likely to Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Past Impact species, genes & Return Declines diseases Stresses Species mortality Invasive and other Clostridium Timing Scope Severity Impact problematic botulinum Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Causing/Could Medium Impact species, genes & cause fluctuations diseases Stresses Species mortality Threats & Impacts Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses Invasive and other Plasmodium Timing Scope Severity Impact problematic relictum Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Negligible declines Low Impact species, genes & diseases Stresses Species mortality Natural system Other ecosystem Timing Scope Severity Impact modifications modifications Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Medium Impact Declines Stresses Ecosystem conversion; Ecosystem degradation Pollution Oil spills Timing Scope Severity Impact Ongoing Unknown Unknown Unknown Stresses Ecosystem degradation; Indirect ecosystem effects; Species mortality Conservation Conservation Actions Underway CMS Appendix II. EU Birds Directive Annex I and II. An EU Life project in Denmark has succeeded in improving conditions for this species (Marsbøll and Aaser 2009) and another EU LIFE project in Germany aims to restore numbers of this species (Anon 2012).

Conservation Actions Proposed Continue ensuring adequate protection of important breeding and wintering sites and promote favourable land management practices. It should be ensured that suitable legislation on petroleum drilling transportation is in place and enforced. Bibliography Anon (2012). Nature and Biodiversity – Projects 2011. Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg. Blaker, D. 1967. An outbreak of Botulinus poisoning among waterbirds. Ostrich 38(2): 144-147. Gaidet, N., Dodman, T., Caron, A., Balança, G., Desvaux, S., Goutard, F., Cattoli, G., Martin, V., Tripodi, A., Lamarque, F., Hagemeijer, W. and Monicat, F. 2007. Influenza survelliance in wild birds in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa: Preliminary results from an ongoing FAO-led survey. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 43(3): S22. Grishanov, D. 2006. Conservation problems of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds and their habitats in the Kaliningrad region of Russia. In: Boere, G., Galbraith, C. and Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 356. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, U.K. Hagemeijer, W.J.M. and Blair, M.J. 1997. The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds: Their Distribution and Abundance. T and A D Poyser, London. Hayman, P., Marchant, J. and Prater, A.J. 1986. Shorebirds. Croom Helm, London. Hubalek, Z., Skorpikova, V., Horal, D. 2005. Avian botulism at a sugar beet processing plant in South Moravia (Czech Republic). Vetinarni Medicina 50(10): 443-445. Johnsgard, P.A. 1981. The plovers, sandpipers and snipes of the world. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, U.S.A. and London. Marsbøll, S. and Aaser, H.F. 2009. Restoration of Meadow Bird Habitats – a LIFE Nature Project. Danish Forest and Nature Agency, West Jutland. Melville, D.S. and Shortridge, K.F. 2006. Migratory waterbirds and avian influenza in the East Asian- Australasian Flyway with particular reference to the 2003-2004 H5N1 outbreak. In: Boere, G., Galbraith, C. and Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 432-438. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, U.K. Mendes, L., Piersma, T., Lecoq, M., Spaans, B. and Ricklefs, E. 2005. Disease-limited distributions? Contrasts in the prevalence of avian malaria in shorebird species using marine and freshwater habitats. Oikos 109: 396-404. Snow, D.W. and Perrins, C.M. 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic vol. 1: Non-Passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Bibliography Van Gils, J., Wiersma, P. and Garcia, E.F.J. 2014. Ruff (Calidris pugnax). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. and de Juana, E. (eds.) 2014. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/53943 on 28 April 2015). van Heerden, J. 1974. Botulism in the Orange Free State goldfields. Ostrich 45(3): 182-184. Zöckler, C. 2002. Declining Ruff Philomachus pugnax populations: a response to global warming? Wader Study Group Bulletin 97: 19-29. Map (see overleaf)