To early settlers, the Northern Bobwhite Quail became an immediate favorite from the world of birds. Whether you are listening to it whistle its familiar "bob-white" tune in the spring and summer or hunting quail in the fall and winter, it is plain to see why it has remained a favorite for so many people.
In recent years, however, the quail population has been on the decline in the Midwest and is not showing signs of rebounding anytime soon.
Though there is a lot of speculation about the decline including unfounded ideas that quail fall prey to deer and turkeys the top reason for the population decline is the lack of quality year-round habitat. This is habitat that the quail can nest in, roost in at night, loaf in during the day and that allows them to escape or avoid predators.
Quality habitat is lost to overgrazing, haying, cultivation of ground and fragmentation of the landscape by urban sprawl. These are all things that are happening and will continue to happen. It is just a matter of changing practices slightly so that they will not affect a landowner's income. The only factor that is problematic is urban sprawl.
Where it goes
With the loss of a good majority of native grasses and forbs in Kansas, there isn't sufficient cover to allow for survival. In addition, sufficient food sources are not available.
One reason for the lack of food sources is fall tillage of crops. Fall tilling allows the topsoil to freeze and thaw to loosen it up. This allows for a fertile seedbed to plant crops in the spring. Another reason for fall tilling is that there is the chance of a wet spring, which would not allow farmers to get in their fields to get crops planted.
However, it has been found that fall tilling does not increase the yield of a crop. Fall tilling has a negative impact on quail by turning under important grain sources. It also doesn't allow any annual plant seeds or crop grain to stay on top of the soil. The biggest problem with fall tilling is that it takes place at the time quail need food the most.
A second reason for the population decline is the mowing of grass waterways and field edges, and keeping weeds from establishing themselves in fencerows. Since most all of our native grass has been converted to cropland, any amount of cover is a welcome sight. Leaving grass waterways, field edges and fencerows untouched can help create good quail habitat.
Herbicides, weather
Another reason for the decline is extensive use of herbicides. Herbicides kill annual weeds that produce much-needed grain for quail throughout the fall and winter months.
Urban sprawl is another big reason that quail have declined in numbers. Houses are being built in five-acre plots of land, which fragments wildlife habitat and isolates quality habitat from quail.
A final reason, that is directly related to the loss of habitat and has major effects on populations when good habitat is not available, is the weather. Environmental events such as too much rain in the spring, not enough moisture in the summer, hailstorms and hard cold winters all are examples of things we can't control. Quail are extremely fragile birds, and weather is very hard on them. It is hard to have the perfect weather for quail, but if good habitat is available for the population that has been affected by these environmental factors, they can rebound a lot faster. This is why quality habitat is so important. Because we have lost good habitat, quail have not been able to rebound as fast and now are struggling.
No-cost measures
The Quail Initiative is a trial program that is in the preliminary stages and will be tested in the southeastern part of Kansas. If things go as planned, it could be offered to the rest of Kansas in the near future.
The program is set up to give qualifying landowners financial assistance each year to perform agricultural practices that are conducive to bobwhite quail and other wildlife. Such practices include: establishment of native prairie grasses and forbs; establishment of permanent cover under the continuous CRP program; renovation of over-mature hedgerows to provide better close-to-the-ground protective cover; food plots to increase the diversity of feeding areas and as emergency winter food; prescribed burning of warm season native prairie grasses; establishment of shrubs; leaving unsprayed, uncultivated strips of crops; and use of no mechanical weed control.
Quality habitat is a key ingredient in producing a higher population of quail, but it must be understood that it is not just quail that need good habitat, but all wildlife. We can regain this habitat, without losing any income and with less work than is put into keeping the habitat suppressed.
Many programs are available now through the Natural Resource Conservation Service and Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks that aid landowners in creating good wildlife habitat. Please contact either agency if you feel you can help quail and other wildlife or if you need advice on how to create habitat on your land. If you have questions, please call the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks regional office in your area.
No comments
Commenting is turned off for this story.