Short abstract from the book: Today the ruff is a fairly rare breeding bird in Denmark,
breeding mainly in western Jutland. It is a common passage
migrant, especially in May but also in June–September.
In Denmark the first ruff was ringed in 1918, with the
majority ringed from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s. Most
of the recovered birds were ringed on Amager and Tipperne
in May and August. It is likely that only a few belong to the
Danish population. Seventy-two per cent of the sexed individuals were males.
Recoveries show the migrants passing Denmark come from
Norway, Sweden, Finland and northwest Russia. Most birds
arrive in Denmark in August–September. From Denmark
most migrate SW along the west coast of continental Europe.
Others fly more directly southwards to Italy and the French
Mediterranean coast. During winter birds ringed in Denmark
have been recovered in Senegal and Mali, believed to be the
main wintering area, though also in southwestern Europe.
Ruffs depart from their wintering grounds in February
and recoveries show that many migrate via Italy. In May
birds have been recovered in northern Sweden, at the Kola
Peninsula and in eastern Russia, one as far east as the Sea of
Okhotsk
Read more about the species in the chapter from The Danish Bird Migration Atlashere
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