Bobwhite Quail Suitability Index and Summary Report
1. Suitability Index and Summary Report 1
Bobwhite Quail Suitability Index and Summary Report
Cammie Coffey
2. Suitability Index and Summary Report 2
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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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Figure 1. Summary of Limiting Factors for Bobwhite Quail
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Figure 3. Image of South Cardinal Direction
Figure 4. Image of East Cardinal Direction
Figure 5. Image of West Cardinal Direction
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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
