A Grouse in ‘Ruff’ Shape
When this ruffed grouse first came in to the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, he was in pretty rough shape. He was found on the side of the road where he was likely struck by a car, and transported to the Wildlife Services department here at VINS for care.
Upon exam, we found a large, open wound under his right wing. Since the torn tissue is right under the bird’s wing, we have to be very careful to avoid scarring so the wing retains its full range of motion and the bird will still be able to fly. To do this, we have to remove the dead and dry tissue around the wound, as you can see in our video, and cover it with a bandage and sterile dressing so the wound stays clean and moist.
Once the bird’s wound has healed and he is at a stable weight, we will release him back into the wild.