Brush Turkey Survives 6 Months With Arrow in Shoulder

A brush turkey that survived half a year with an arrow embedded in its shoulder has finally been rescued on Australia's Central Coast, proving just how resilient wildlife can be.

The injured bird, affectionately named "Arrowyn" by locals, was first spotted with the arrow sticking out of its back last October in East Gosford. Despite multiple rescue attempts over the following months, the clever turkey managed to evade capture while apparently going about its daily life with a 70-centimeter arrow shaft protruding from its body.

Phil Rutherford first noticed the injured bird in his garden in January. He reached out to wildlife educator Cathie Stubbs, who suggested he feed the turkey regularly to keep track of it and build trust.

Over several weeks, Rutherford strategically moved the food closer to his house each day. The patient approach worked better than anyone expected when the turkey simply walked into his kitchen on Tuesday, allowing him to close the door behind it.

After some careful maneuvering to fit a bird with an arrow into a transport box, Stubbs got the turkey to veterinarian Robin Crisman at Somersby. The surgery revealed just how lucky this bird had been.

"It just missed his heart, it missed all of his vital organs," Dr. Crisman said after removing the deeply embedded target arrow. The turkey spent less than 24 hours at the hospital before moving to a wildlife carer's home.

Sunny's Take

What makes this story shine isn't just one bird's remarkable survival. It's the community that rallied around it.

Phil Rutherford spent months patiently earning the turkey's trust with strategically placed meals. Cathie Stubbs coordinated the rescue efforts and ensured the bird got proper care. Dr. Crisman performed expert surgery at no doubt minimal cost. A wildlife carer opened their home for months of recovery.

These people didn't have to help. Brush turkeys are common in the area, and this one wasn't endangered or particularly special. But they saw a living creature in need and decided its life mattered.

That choice, multiplied across dozens of small actions over six months, gave Arrowyn a second chance. The turkey will be released back into the bush in the coming months, fully healed and ready to rejoin its wild community.

Sometimes hope looks like an arrow missing a heart by millimeters, and sometimes it looks like neighbors who refuse to give up on one determined bird.