bobwhite quail suitability index and summary report

BOBWHITE QUAIL SUITABILITY INDEX AND SUMMARY REPORT

Cammie Coffey

Suitability Index and Summary Report 1

INTRODUCTION

Northern bobwhite are non-migratory game birds, so their habitat must be able to

support them throughout the year. In order for these birds to survive and successfully

reproduce, they require five essential habitat components. These requirements are nesting

cover, brood cover, protective cover, food, and interspersion. Land managers can evaluate

acreage suitability with tools like the E-904 Bobwhite Quail Habitat Evaluation and

Management Guide, which assists the manager in rating all the criteria and offers

management solutions for low rated components.

The Bosque River Stage and McLennan Community College (MCC) boat ramp is the

area used for this study. This plot of land is approximately 250 acres, which is located

alongside of the Bosque river and adjoins the nearby limestone cliffs. This area is shared by

wildlife and people alike.

MATERIALS and METHODS

E-904 Bobwhite Quail Habitat Evaluation and Management Guide

Acreage for evaluation

Digital camera

4 signs labeled with the 4 cardinal directions

The digital camera was used to document the location of evaluation. Images of each

cardinal direction was taken with a labeled sign. The camera was also used to photograph trees,

grasses forbs, and legumes, used for identification purposes. The E-904 Bobwhite Quail

Habitat Evaluation and Management Guide was used to evaluate the acreage, determine

limiting factors, and select management activities to increase the limiting factor's value.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limestone

RESULTS

The limiting factor for nesting cover was nesting cover quantity, with a score of seven.

Brood cover had the limiting factor of shrub, grass, forbs, or legume accessibility, with a

score of five. The protective cover limiting factor was loafing cover quantity, with a score of

4. Food accessibility was the limiting factor for food, with a score of two. Interspersion had

the limiting factor of distance to woody cover, with a score of eight (figure 1).

DISCUSSION

Nesting Cover

Overriding vegetation includes post oak and cedar, with preferred grasses that cover at

least 30% of the area. About 20% of the area is covered with water from the river. The rest is

a mix of non-preferred grasses (Bermuda grass) that are kept cut very short throughout the

year (Figure 2-5). The limiting factor is the quantity of usable nesting cover. It would be

expensive and time consuming to reestablish preferred grasses to this area. It is recommended

that the forest area be thinned to 40-60 square feet of basal area per acre. This will increase

the growth of forbs, grasses and young woody trees that can be utilized as cover.

Brood Cover

The limiting factor for brood cover is the accessibility of shrub, grass, forbs or legumes.

Controlled grazing is an option, but not very feasible for this location. Prescribed burning is

the most inexpensive solution, but it is recommended with extreme caution, due to the close

proximity to MCC. Strip disking and planting food plots is recommended. Strip disking used


to disturb the soil, is inexpensive and provides brood cover and food sources with early

successional plants. Planting small food plots could also help. This solution is more expensive

and time consuming, but it can double as an emergency food source, as well as being used as

brood cover.

Protective Cover

The limiting factor for protective cover is the quantity of loafing cover. There are plenty

of woody plants in this area, but the forest is to think for these area to be utilized. Forest

thinning, and creating openings in the native woods is recommended. This area does have an

increasing problem with invasive species, like Ligustrum lucidum (Chinese Privet), so the use

of herbicides is highly recommended to help restore native vegetation. I am not sure if privet

is an acceptable food source for Northern bobwhite, but it should still be managed. It is out

competing the native woody species and limiting diversity.

Food

This area is full of suitable food options, like crabgrass, foxtails, johnson grass, panciums,

paspalum, rye grass, ash trees, grapes, and poison ivy. The limiting factor is accessibility.

Some of the recommendations include planting food plots or adding feeders. Since multiple

food sources are already on location, strip disking is the recommendation again. The bobwhite

just need more bare ground to navigate safely from one type of cover to another. Prescribed

burning can also help create more bare ground and help increase food abundance. As stated

before, this solution may not be acceptable for this area.


Interspersion

There are no limitations in the proximity of all the required resources and cover types, since

they all occur within 150 feet of each other. The only limiting factor is in the distance to

woody protective cover. This is mainly an issue in the manicured portions of the acreage, or

in areas of the woods that are filled with older woody vegetation. For the manicured area, it is

recommended that the Bermuda grass be replaced by native warm season grasses, forbs and

legumes. This will be difficult and costly, since it will take cultivation and herbicide

treatments until they reestablish themselves. It is a better solution to just thin out the native

forest, as suggested earlier.


Figure 1. Summary of Limiting Factors for Bobwhite Quail


Figure 2. Image of North Cardinal Direction


Figure 3. Image of South Cardinal Direction

Figure 4. Image of East Cardinal Direction

Figure 5. Image of West Cardinal Direction


Literature Cited

Bidwell, T.G., S.R. Tully, A.D. Peoples, and R.E. Masters. 1991. Habitat appraisal guide for bobwhite quail. Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service, Circular E-904


bobwhite quail suitability index and summary report

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