Watch this bird walking in the snow. Notice how it hardly sinks. It has grown its own snowshoes for winter — comb-like scales on the sides of its toes which help the bird stay on the snow’s surface. The scales also serve a dual role to help grip icy branches as it’s eating tree buds. On cold winter nights, this bird can dive into deep, soft snow to create a snow cave –a warmer place out of the wind and hidden from predators.
The animal is a Ruffed Grouse.
