How Do Hurricanes Impact Quail, read the full blog at the link in our bio.
With hurricane season making its mark across the southeast, we have witnessed its devastating impacts on homes and communities. But amidst the chaos, what becomes of our beloved bobwhite quail during these powerful storms?
As with most things in life, there are always pros and cons. Hurricane impacts on quail are no less an exception.
Tall Timbers, a conservation group focused on habitat research and management for fire ecology and bobwhite quail, said only two of their 60 radio-tagged bobwhites died after Hurricane Helene passed through. However, Hurricane Milton was a different story.
According to Dwayne Elmore, Director of the Game Bird Program at Tall Timbers, there was a higher mortality rate at their research property in Kenansville, located in central Florida, directly in the path of Hurricane Milton, reporting a 10% mortality of the 90 bobwhite quail they monitor. A week after the storm, the mortality grew to 18%.
If there is any silver lining to a hurricane, it’s that changes to the landscape after a storm can lead to long-term benefits for quail habitat.
According to Jessica McGuire, senior Working Lands for Wildlife bobwhite program manager, there has historically been an increase in quail populations after hurricanes. When Hurricane Michael made landfall in 2018, she said they saw quail populations on the Florida panhandle boom for several years afterward.
Though hurricanes pose challenges for bobwhite quail, they also create opportunities for habitat regeneration. If anything, hurricanes stand as a testament to their resilience as these birds continue to thrive through nature’s unpredictable forces.
#bobwhite #bobwhitequail #hurricane #hurricanehelene #hurricanemilton
