Here’s something very few people ever get to see.
On yesterday’s blog post about Sage Grouse friend and rehabber April Olson added this at the end of her comment:
- “We had a dead ruffed grouse that flew into the window. It was a beautiful and interesting bird. The feet have scales to help walk in the snow. I have a close up photo of the feet and scales on my phone I can send you if you would like to see them. It is wild looking.”
Of course I was intrigued so I took April up on her offer and after I saw the photo I asked her if she would allow me to use it in a blog post. In her reply she said I could and told me that the photo was actually taken by her daughter Haley Olson on her phone. Both April and Haley are rehabbers – good works run in their family.
Copyright Haley Olson.
Here’s the uncropped photo.
Copyright Haley Olson.
But I took the liberty of cropping tightly on the feet, adding some sharpening and lightening up some of the shadows for slightly better detail.
Notice all the narrow pectinations (meaning comb-like) growing laterally from the scales on the toes. Those pectinations are actually extensions of foot scales so they’re not feathers. Ruffed Grouse are non-migratory and typically prefer higher-elevation forests in the lower 48 states (or boreal forests further north) so they spend a lot of time in deep snow. The pectinations act to significantly increase the surface area of the feet so they function like showshoes. Interestingly, the pectinations of Ruffed Grouse in northern areas where there’s typically more snow are twice as long as those in more southerly regions.
The three forward toes are also slightly webbed to increase the surface area of the feet even more but that slight webbing cannot be seen here.
One of several reasons very few people ever see these “snowshoes” is that they’re not permanent. They begin to grow each year in the fall and drop off in the spring. The bird in the photo died of a window strike on October 22 so by that time this is how long the pectinations were. Perhaps if this grouse had not died they’d have grown even longer.
I’d venture to say that most folks who are lucky enough to see Ruffed Grouse see them in the warmer months when the pectinations have fallen off and even those who do spot one in winter would be highly unlikely to see their feet in enough detail to notice the “snowshoes”. Perhaps hunters see them more often.
So that’s why I jumped at the chance to see and use this photo. Thank you April and Haley.
Ron
Note:
I simply have to take this opportunity to thank April and Haley for the rehab work they’ve both done for many years. To my knowledge they both perform this service as strict volunteers and the primary thanks they get is the satisfaction of saving lives and being able to spend intimate time with the birds and other animals they love.
But hand in hand with that satisfaction goes the heartbreak and distress of seeing and dealing with sick and often badly mangled critters and having to put many of them down in order to do what’s best for them. It takes a special kind of person for that kind of work because it can often lead to an emotional train wreck. So I salute April and Haley and every other rehabber out there. Think about it – rehabbers do what they do because they love wildlife and then they have to regularly see them suffer horribly.
I like to think of myself as being pretty clinical and emotionally removed in similar situations and usually I am. But I couldn’t do what rehabbers do day after day – not a chance.
How amazing is nature! Thanks for sharing!
Charlotte
You read my mind once again, Ron. When I saw the comments between you and April, I kept hoping that the photo would show up on your blog and you didn’t disappoint! 🙂 This is so fascinating — thank you April and Haley for the teachable moment! Those feet really show the dinosaur ancestors. Ain’t natural selection grand! 🙂
It sure is, Marty. I’m fascinated by it. Thank you.
Yesterday’s and today’s posts are just incredibly interesting and well presented. The pectinations are such an exquisite evolutionary adaptation, but of course that is true of this bird in general. I thought the pectinations might be an interesting design for human snowshoes but then they would probably have to be about ten feet long.
Thank you for what you said about both posts, Lyle.
Huge thanks to all those involved in this post. Another day started with new information.
And huge thanks to April and Haley. I couldn’t do what they do, and am endlessly grateful to them and to all rehabbers.
As am I, EC.
Thanks to everyone involved who shared the photos and information. I’ve known about this adaptation for many years, but this is my first opportunity to actually see it. When I see Ruffed Grouse it is usually not in the winter and at a distance that would make it difficult to see the feet clearly. Nature is amazing and I always appreciate what you share with your readers.
It makes me feel better knowing that even you’d never seen it, Dan. I’m embarrassed to admit that I’d never even heard of this adaptation before April told me about the photo.
Wow the feet are interesting to see up close.
Thanks to your excellent photography the
Detail is awesome
Linda, it’s not my photography. Haley Olson took the photo.
Interesting and VERY cool! 🙂 The endless adaptations “critters” have never ceases to amaze me. No, I could not do rehab on a regular basis……dealing with injured/sick animals of any sorts is just tough and heartbreaking. I applaud those that can… Thx to April and Haley for the work they do and sharing this information.
“dealing with injured/sick animals of any sorts is just tough and heartbreaking”
It sure is, Judy. I’ll never forget the time I spent with Galileo right after his encounter with barbed wire. It was only for a few hours but it was both stressful and emotional.
Sorry “Sage” grouse!!
Thanks for the informative post and also for yesterday’s beautiful photographs of the Ruffed Grouse! I do appreciate your educational posts. I hope some day to see a Ruffed Grouse courtship ritual.
And Kudos to April and Haley for their great work!
Thanks very much, Joanne. I knew what you meant… 🙂
We all thought it was an interesting bird. The feet were crazy looking. I wish I had a photo of a live one too. New Goal?
Thank you Ron, but I have to give most of the rehab credit to those who spend 24-7 at our facility in Ogden (WRCNU). Haley and I are not as involved as we once where. The ones who get the credit are Dalyn our wildlife specialist and her husband Buz who run the organization. Erin, and Elizabeth who unselfishly spend all their time paid and unpaid at the center. David who is always hard at work at the front office. Stacie Peck who has pulled more than her weight in good and bad times. Shellie who helps with mammals, the fundraising and booths. I am sorry if I have left others out I an not familiar with, there are countless others I don’t even know behind the scene who offer their time and devotion the wildlife. It’s a dedicated group.
April, you and Haley may not be as involved as you once were but you’re still involved and you’ve put in more than your share of time and effort over the years. Kudos for that.
Most of my interaction with WRCNU has been with Buz and to a lesser degree with Dalyn and I agree with what you said about both of them.
Thanks to Ron, April and Haley for a wonderful avian lesson. Even an old teacher gets to learn something he never really had seen or knew! I have seen (live) Ruffed Grouse in spring, summer and fall, but never in the winter, and have never to my knowledge witnessed seeing a dead one in the winter. Knew they were able to walk on snow, but never understood why. Many thanks for a reveling tid-bit of information, much appreciated.
“Even an old teacher gets to learn something he never really had seen or knew”
That sentence fits me exactly, Dick. I learn as much as anyone from my blog and much of it comes directly or indirectly from my readers.
Wow, Ron – what an interesting & educational blog today. I’m glad April shared her comment, you asked & she sent the photos.. So amazing – you would think it was the foot of some kind of lizard without your blog!! I never know what I’ll see & read on your blog every day & today was a beauty!! I’ve learned so much from your blogs & always take advantage of links you include. Well after reading this today, I wanted to see what a Ruffed Grouse looks like & googled “All About Birds’ In case any of your readers are interested here’s the web address – https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/ruffed_grouse. What an amazing bird. Oh and they had info about the feet in winter but no photo!! I think April or Haley should submit the photo to Cornell!! I was also touched by your Note regarding Rehabbers & the very down side of what they have to do. I agree with you that no way could I do that & so I admire them even more. When working in Hospitals for most of my adult life I so admired Cancer Physicians because they lose so many patients to their disease. At least in the field of cancer – things are much improved but as our human population grows, we are having more & more of a negative impact on our wildlife!!
Jo Ann, as I told Everett below I wanted to include a photo of an entire Ruffed Grouse but I don’t have one.
And your observation about the feet looking like those of some kind of reptile (lizard) is exactly what I thought.
Great learning post. Last February I was lucky enough to get a photo of a ruffed grouse walking on the snow and noticed the tiny projections on the feet because I was surprised how ‘she’ seemed to ‘float’ on the surface. Amazing adaptation for a creature in harsh conditions. It was my first time seeing that beautiful bird. Going along with ‘Everett’ and ‘nikonsteve’ I too cannot praise the people who are animal rehabbers enough for what they do. It takes special people to be so giving of themselves and to be able to experience both the joys and heartaches of helping the injured.
Sounds like those pectinations are wonderfully effective, Kathy.
Of course I agree with what you said about rehabbers. Most of my dealings with them have been through the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah, the Cascades Raptor Center or the Montana Raptor Resource Center. Giving, selfless organizations without exception.
Thanks, Ron, for this excellent educational piece. Aren’t birds and nature amazing???
They sure are, Nancy. Thanks.
What an excellent post…I’m not very familiar with Ruffed grouse and I love learning new stuff about different birds so this is great. Kudos to people like April and Haley. So glad they shared with you (and us)..I would call them some of the unsung heroes of the birding world…Thank you Ron
“I would call them some of the unsung heroes of the birding world”
Well said, Steve – so would I.
Very interesting and education post Ron. Rehabbers are outstanding people. In my long life I once rescued a Kestrel back in Orange County, and then a Greater Roadrunner here, and both times took to a local rehabber. I spent the first forty years of my life in my native Pennsylvania and have never seen a Ruffed Grouse who just happens to be their State Bird. Thanks for posting.
Everett Sanborn, Prescott AZ
I don’t think I’ve ever seen one either, Everett – much less photographed one. It was frustrating because I wanted to use a photo showing an entire bird in this post. I considered using a photo in the public domain but in the end decided against it. Thank you.