Bobwhite numbers have steadily declined over the past 40 years. Although many things are blamed, the main culprit is a decline in suitable habitat.
Native grass pastures and cropland fields have been converted to thick pine plantations across much of the Southeast. The pastures that still exist have been established in exotic forage grasses such as bermuda or tall fescue, which grow too thick for quality habitat. Across the country, agricultural fields grow larger as fencerows disappear. In today's landscape, habitat management is critical. To successfully bring back the bobwhite, we must first understand the bird and its habitat needs.
The Life Cycle
Nesting begins in mid-April and continues until about the first of September. Less than half the nests will be successful during a typical year. The pair will quickly renest if their eggs are destroyed.
The average nest will have between 12 and 15 eggs, which will hatch after 23 days of incubation. For the first six weeks of life, the chicks will feed mainly on protein-rich insects.
In early fall, family groups break up and form winter coveys. Each covey will establish a territory in an area that has a winter food source and woody cover. In high-quality habitat, this can be an area as small as 15 to 20 acres.
Across their range, bobwhites have a high natural mortality rate. In his book "The Bobwhite Quail," Walter Rosene states that between 70 and 80% of quail die each year, whether hunted or not. To successfully manage quail, it must be understood that they cannot be stockpiled from year to year like some game animals can.
Habitat Needs
Quality habitat is key to good quail populations. A density of one bird per acre can be achieved with intensive habitat management.
There are four main habitat requirements for quail:
1. Summer nesting cover. Most quail nest in areas covered with two- or three-year-old native grasses. Native bunch grasses such as broomsedge, little bluestem and indiangrass are favored cover.
2. Summer brood-rearing habitat. Quail chicks require weedy areas that are open underneath with plenty of bare ground. The area should have new growth that will attract insects. Areas disturbed with disking or fire within the last year will provide this.
3. Winter food. Hunters often supplement winter food by planting sorghum, corn or some other grain. Sufficient food is usually produced by simply managing enough nesting cover and brood-rearing habitat with some type of disturbance. Ragweed, partridge pea and many other native food plants appear after disking or burning, for example.
4. Winter cover. Winter cover is necessary for escaping from predators as well as bad weather. Birds can move around under dense thickets of young trees or shrubs such as wild plum and shrub lespedeza, but predators cannot easily enter.
These seasonal requirements must be close together. In optimum habitat, birds will not have to go more than about 50 yards from any food source to escape cover.
For information on quail in your area, get in touch with your state small-game biologist. Also you can contact Quail Unlimited at P.O. Box 610, Edgefield, SC 29824, phone 803-637-5731 or fax 803-637-0037.