Friday, March 6, 2015

“Canary of the Prairie”


By Abbie Ince
When one hears the name Bob White Quail, one used to hear the endearing call of “bob-white!”, or envision the handsome cheek patch of the hidden fellow hiding in the brush, and of course the sudden flushing and the beating of wings that quickens the beat of your own heart. This romantic vision is gone, instead turned to plowed fields full of mesquite. The wind no longer carries the alluring call “bob-white!” but the soft bellows of cattle in a nearby field and the harsh snapping and crunching of feral hog jaws that now permeates through the prairie.

Bob White Quail.  Source: Les Howard


Over the past 50 years, the population of the Bob White Quail, Colinus virginianus, has declined sharply. All scientists and nature enthusiasts alike can pinpoint the slew of problems that plague the bobwhite. Some of these issues are natural such as drought, disease and parasites, and natural predators. These are all things that the quail has evolved to deal with and contribute slightly to the decline in population, but more to the natural breath of the prairie. The factors that we all know and understand are the big ones. Introduction of invasive species, fire ants and feral hogs to name a few, have become predators of quail eggs and chicks, destroying the nesting habitat as they go along. Pesticides and aflatoxin in deer corn also contribute to the decline but not as much as habitat loss and fragmentation. The cattle we raise are not the immediate problem; it is more of the methods in which we raise them. When we plow and clear a field of the natural grasses and shrubs we convert the native grassland to a field of introduced grasses and a place with no nesting cover. We then overgraze that field and deplete the soil of nutrients, those of which will never be given back to the land due to the lack of fire that the prairie ecosystem is so reliant on. With all these issues weighing heavily on our dear bobwhites, it’s no wonder their numbers have hit an all time low.


Interestingly though not unexpected, a neighbor of the bob white quail is also declining. The Loggerhead Shrike, Lanius ludovicanus, has shown an almost mirror in decline to that of the Bobwhite. The loggerhead shrike is a predatory bird with rather morbid habits. Besides both calling West Texas home, the two species have little in common, different life histories, habits, and niches. This is an indicator that something is wrong with the prairie ecosystem itself. I would also guess that if we were to compare the trend line of the bobwhite population with other bird species of the prairie and even native grasses, insects and mammals, they too would mirror the trajectory of the bobwhite.


Furthermore, quail hunting has declined, which is not as good of news as it may seem to be. Quail hunting generates enormous amounts of income that not only boosts the local economy, but a percentage of the taxes hunters pay on firearms, ammunition, and hunting licenses is given back to nature conservancies state wide.


Although it may seem like a flightless endeavor there have been solutions put forth by scientists nationwide, including Dr. Dale Rollins, an expert on the bobwhite and their decline.  He feels the first step to reversing the decline is to develop a rational scientific approach to the species and their recovery needs. He advises that organizations follow in the footsteps of other wildlife success stories. Furthermore the organizations should capitalize on the power of partnerships with large and small land owners alike. This could be the most important factor in helping the quail as it would get more people involved and aware of the issue, as well as give the quail supplemental shelter and habitat to thrive in. Lastly is seeking public buy-in and support for the quail. While easy on paper, this may be the hardest part of the solution because one will be trying to change how people think. Societal values and attitudes are well ingrained with the public and this will prove to be the most challenging of obstacles, requiring unique and inventive ways to overcome.


If the Bobwhite Quail follows its current trajectory, the prairie will lose a valuable and beautiful species. We too will feel the loss when the wind howls empty, and the air is void of the sweet song of the “Canary of the Prairie.”


Abbie watched a webinar by Dr. Dale Rollins called Reversing the Quail Decline in Texas.  It was the first lecture in a three-part series by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension involving the quail population in Texas.  Thanks for watching the webinar and writing a blog, Abbie!


The Reversing the Quail Decline in Texas webinar is available from TPWD and Texas A&M Agrilife Extension here:   http://www.forestrywebinars.net/webinars/reversing-the-quail-decline-in-texas/?searchterm=None