Calidris pugnax

Taxonomy and naming

Current scientific name	Calidris pugnax [91256]
Common name	Ruff
Other names	Philomachus pugnax [850]
Species author	(Linnaeus, 1758)

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Scolopacidae

EPBC legal status and documents

EPBC listing status

Listed Marine as Philomachus pugnax.

Listed Migratory - EPBC Act as Philomachus pugnax, Bonn as Philomachus pugnax, CAMBA as Philomachus pugnax, JAMBA as Philomachus pugnax, ROKAMBA as Philomachus pugnax.

Conservation planning documents

Conservation advice: includes a statement about why the threatened species or ecological community is eligible to be listed under the EPBC Act, the main factors that are the cause of it being eligible for listing, as well as information about what can be done to stop its decline and support its recovery.
Recovery plan: includes a description of the threats to the listed threatened species or ecological community as well as actions needed to stop its decline and support its recovery. The Minister decides whether a threatened species or ecological community would benefit from the preparation of a recovery plan (in addition to existing Conservation Advice) drawing on advice from the Threatened Species Scientific Committee.
Protection statement: includes information about what must be protected to ensure the survival and recovery of the listed threatened species or ecological community in the wild. Protection statements are optional and the Minister for the Environment determines whether a protection statement is prepared for a listed threatened species or ecological community.
Threat abatement plan: includes information on research, management and other actions needed to reduce impacts of key threatening processes listed under the EPBC Act.
Wildlife conservation plan: includes information on measures required to protect species that are listed as migratory or marine under the EPBC Act.
Marine bioregional plan: includes information on key ecological features in the Commonwealth Marine Area as well as measures to protect marine species and habitats.

Conservation advice	There is no approved Conservation Advice for this species.
Recovery plans	There is no adopted or made Recovery Plan for this species.
Threat abatement plans	No Threat Abatement Plan has been identified as being relevant for this species.
Wildlife conservation plans	Department of the Environment (2015). Wildlife Conservation Plan for Migratory Shorebirds. Canberra, ACT: Department of the Environment. In effect under the EPBC Act from 15 Jan 2016.	2015

Other Commonwealth documents

Listing advice	There is no Listing Advice for this species.
Federal register of legislation	Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 - Section 285 - Instrument revoking and making a wildlife conservation plan (Commonwealth of Australia, 2016).	Wildlife Conservation Plan	2016
	Wildlife Conservation Plan for Migratory Shorebirds (Commonwealth of Australia, 2006).	Wildlife Conservation Plan	2006
	Declaration under section 248 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 - List of Marine Species (Commonwealth of Australia, 2000).	Marine	2000
	List of Migratory Species (13/07/2000) (Commonwealth of Australia, 2000).	Migratory	2000
Policy statements and guidelines	National Light Pollution Guidelines for Wildlife Including Marine Turtles, Seabirds and Migratory Shorebirds (Department of the Environment and Energy, 2020).		2020
	EPBC Act Policy Statement 3.21 - Industry Guidelines for avoiding, assessing and mitigating impacts on EBBC Act listed migratory shorebird species (Department of the Environment, 2015).		2015
Information sheets	Revision of the East Asian - Australasian Flyway Population Estimates for 37 listed Migratory Shorebird Species (Van Swinderen, L., B.D. Hansen, R.A. Fuller, D. Watkins, D.I. Rogers, R.S. Clemens, M. Newman, E.J. Woehler, D.R. Weller & S. LeClair, 2025).		2025
	Australian National Directory of Important Migratory Shorebird Habitat (Driessen, J., L.R. Kidd, D.R. Weller, C. Purnell, G. Maguire, R. Jaensch & S.M. LeClair, 2025).		2025

Status on other lists

State listing

SA

Rare

Listed as Rare (National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 (South Australia): Rare species: January 2020 list)

Non-statutory listing

IUCN

Least Concern

Listed as Least Concern (Global Status: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: 2026.1 list)

Non-government documents and websites

There are no available non-government documents or websites.

Distribution

This distribution is part of the Species of National Environmental Significance dataset. Distributions are indicative and represent modelled habitat based on best available data at the time of mapping.

Superseded Commonwealth documents

Non-current Commonwealth documents

Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) (2009). Draft background paper to EPBC Act policy statement 3.21. Published by Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA).	2009
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) (2011). Shorebirds - A Vulnerability Assessment for the Great Barrier Reef. Published by Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA).	2011
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) (2009). Draft Significant impact guidelines for 36 migratory shorebirds Draft EPBC Act Policy Statement 3.21. Published by Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA).	2009
Hansen, B.D., R.A. Fuller, D. Watkins, D.I. Rogers, R.S. Clemens, M. Newman, E.J. Woehler & D.R. Weller (2016). Revision of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Population Estimates for 37 listed Migratory Shorebird Species. Published by Hansen, B.D., R.A. Fuller, D. Watkins, D.I. Rogers, R.S. Clemens, M. Newman, E.J. Woehler & D.R. Weller. In effect under the EPBC Act from 29 May 2017.	2016
Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage (AGDEH) (2006). NON-CURRENT Wildlife Conservation Plan for Migratory Shorebirds. Published by Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage (AGDEH). In effect under the EPBC Act from 25 Feb 2006. Ceased to be in effect under the EPBC Act from 15 Jan 2016.	2006

Caveat

SPRAT provides statutory information on threatened species and ecological communities, migratory species, marine species, and species and species products subject to international trade and commercial use protected under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act). While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of information linked from external sources, the Commonwealth does not guarantee, and accepts no responsibility for, the accuracy, currency or completeness of this information. The Commonwealth is not liable for any loss or damage arising directly or indirectly from the use of, or reliance on, information contained in this database. The information is not intended to be a complete source of information on the matters it covers. Individuals and organisations should consider all available information, including information from other sources, when determining whether a referral, permit application or exemption under the EPBC Act may be required.

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