Ruffed Grouse, Plate 41. John James Audubon (1785 - 1851). London: Havell, 1827-38. Aquatint Engraving. 26 x 38 1/2 inches sheet, 37 x 49 1/2 inches framed. “On the ground, where the Ruffed Grouse spends a large portion of its time, its motions are peculiarly graceful. It walks with an elevated, firm step, opening its beautiful tail gently and with a well-marked jet, holding erect its head, the feathers of which are frequently raised, as are the velvety tufts of its neck.
It poises its body on one foot for several seconds at a time, and utters a soft cluck, which in itself implies a degree of confidence in the bird that its tout ensemble is deserving of
the notice of any bystander.”
- Audubon’s Ornithological Biography