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.
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| 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.
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