THE RUFF: INDIVIDUALITY IN A GREGARIOUS WADING BIRD. By Johan G. van Rhijn. Illustrated by Ian Willis.

1991 1st edition. 8vo (160 x 240mm). Pp209. B/w photographs and illustrations, charts, tables, maps, extensive bibliography. Grey boards, spine titled in gilt.

"The Ruff is a fascinating species whose elaborate breeding behaviour has captivated ornithologists for decades. Their communal display grounds, or Leks, provide an extreme example of a social system widespread in birds and other animals, in which brilliantly plumaged males seemingly compete for the attention of passing females. In this book, Johan van Rhijn explores this complex and intricate drama, both to lay bare the details of the players' private lives, and to provide a means of exploring the wider variety of wader breeding systems. Strands of evidence for all aspects of the Ruff's life, in and out of the breeding season, come together to give a thought-provoking insight into this important area of biology. Specialists and bird-watchers alike will have much to learn from this intriguing story and the insights it provides". Chapters include: The lek site; Territories; Satellite males; Marginal males; Plumage diversity; Females on leks; Mating; Alternative male strategies; Breeding habitat; Parental care; Development of the chicks; Distribution; Diet and foraging; Moult; Migration; Costs and time-schedules; Do females nest near the leks which they visit?; Taxonomic relationships; Courtship and mating pattern; Variation in size and plumage; The ancestors and their contrasting social lives.