On The Wing Podcast Ep. 269: PF & QF Biologists Select Their Top 10 Wildflowers During Pollinator Week, is live. Listen now at the link below or wherever you get your podcasts. https://quailforever.org/BlogLanding/Blogs/Quail-Forever/Podcast-Ep-269-PF-QF-Biologists-Select-Their-Top-10-Wildflowers-During-Pollinator-Week.aspx Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever biologists Ciera Garner and Heather Francis to talk about the intersection between pollinator habitat for pollinating insects and brood habitat for upland birds. Garner is the organization’s pollinator coordinator in Tennessee and Francis is a farm bill biologist III and on-boarding coordinator in Nebraska. In fact, pollinators are so important to them both that Garner’s wedding earlier this spring included a variety of native wildflower components as did Francis’ youngest son’s wedding that happened on the very same day as Garner’s nuptials. Episode Highlights: - The group focuses their conversation on a Top 10 list of wildflowers as voted on by a sampling of PF & QF’s team of biologists. - The criteria for the Top 10 list of wildflowers included each plant’s a) value in creating habitat structure; b) value as a food resource – both in seed produced as food, as well as the plant’s ability to attract soft-bodied insects as chick food; and c) as the wildcard value of the flower’s blooming beauty. - Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are currently offering a special Pollinator Week package including a PF or QF membership, six wildflower plants, a “Habitat Creator” sticker, and a “Pollinator Habitat” sign. Check out the offer at: quailforever.org/pollinatorweek

Whether it’s 400, 40 or 4 acres… or 4 square feet… pollinator habitat makes this world a better place. Of course, on the big end of that scale, the pheasants and quail that we love use that wildflower habitat for nesting in late spring and early summer, rearing broods in summer, and evading predators in fall and even into winter. But I have preached that into your noggin many a time. It is one reason Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever make such a big deal of Pollinator Week, June 17-23 this year. But there’s more. And, in the case of butterflies, bees and other pollinators, (bold-iridescent beetles, flashy flies, fluttering moths and sprightly songbirds anyone?) it doesn’t take much in terms of square footage to make a difference. A real difference. Read "Every Square Inch Matters: Pollinator Week 2024" by PF Journal Editor Tom Carpenter, at the link below. https://pheasantsforever.org/BlogLanding/Blogs/Pheasants-Forever/Every-Square-Inch-Matters-Pollinator-Week-2024.aspx A huge thanks to our pollinator week sponsors: Corteva Agriscience, Bayer U.S. Crop Science, Syngenta US, Cabela's, Bass Pro Shops, Monarch Joint Venture, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Be a Habitat Creator and create more habitat that supports our pollinators, pheasants, quail and other wildlife! Link below to get your Pollinator Habitat Planting Kit. quailforever.org/pollinatorweek Did you know the native habitat that supports pollinators also supports pheasants and quail? Their chicks grow up on a diet consisting almost completely of soft-bodied insects and the diversity of plant species found in pollinator plantings provides important habitat for nesting, brood-rearing, and cover throughout the seasons. Pollinators also impact 75% of the global food supply and populations are in decline. Do your part in helping provide quality habitat wherever you are by donating to put more habitat on the landscape and in your own yard! For a limited time, a $35 or $75 donation made through this link includes a pollinator habitat planting kit with 6 native wildflowers, an 8”x10” pollinator habitat sign, an exclusive HABITAT CREATOR sticker, and an annual membership to Pheasants Forever. Create a pocket plot for pollinators and be a supporting member of the Habitat Organization at the same time! A huge thanks to our pollinator week partners: Corteva Agriscience, Bayer U.S. Crop Science, Syngenta US, Cabela's, Bass Pro Shops, Monarch Joint Venture, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! Thank you for guiding, teaching, and passing down your love for the great outdoors. As mentors, you are the best role models for your children, especially when sharing the outdoor lifestyle together. Many who take the Hunter Mentor Pledge are fathers just like you, sharing their passion with the next generation. We strongly encourage you to take the pledge so we can continue to nurture a generation that not only cherishes the great outdoors but actively works to protect it. Take the pledge here: https://pheasantsforever.org/mentorpledge#PledgeForm Pheasants Forever Quail Forever #alpsoutdoorz | #huntermentorpledge | #sharethelifestyle | #pheasantsforever | #quailforever

A happy Father’s Day, and thank you to all of the dads out there. Thank you for introducing us to the outdoors, guiding us through life and the field, and instilling in us a great appreciation for the habitat we are all drawn to. #quailforever #fathersday #outdoordad

Quail Fact Friday!💡 Did you know that bobwhite quail and pollinators go hand in hand? The diverse prairie habitats that support bobwhite quail also provide a haven for pollinators like native bees and butterflies. The insects from these habitats are also a crucial food source for bobwhite chicks during their first months of life. It’s another beautiful example of nature’s symbiotic relationships! #quailforever #quail #bobwhitequail #quailfactfriday

The Northern Bobwhite Pilot Project: The Greatest Effort to Save Bobwhite Quail in American History. You read the title correctly. It might be a mouthful, but the recently announced Working Lands For Wildlife (WLFW), Northern Bobwhite Pilot Project is the biggest endeavor for bobwhite quail in American history. Announced at the 2024 Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic by USDA Under Secretary Robert Bonnie, the project marks the largest concerted effort to restore bobwhite quail populations across 18 states. This is the first time national funds will be sent to states explicitly for bobwhite quail habitat. Specifically, this project earmarks $13 million for bobwhite habitat in 2024. This project is one part of a larger, 5-year effort to improve 7-million acres of bobwhite habitat. One historical obstacle with bobwhite conservation is that most bobwhite habitat occurs on private land. The Working Lands For Wildlife, Northern Bobwhite Pilot Project seeks to address that obstacle by incentivizing private landowners to participate in voluntary conservation practices that will benefit bobwhite quail. Get the full details on The Northern Bobwhite Pilot Project, at the link below. https://quailforever.org/BlogLanding/Blogs/Quail-Forever/The-Northern-Bobwhite-Pilot-Project.aspx