What did I take away most from my research?
» First: bobwhite quail are way cooler than I initially thought. How a species that seems to have everything going against it manages to hang on year after year, singing their sweet song, is simply extraordinary. Furthermore, every day I spent around these birds, I was learning something new. Whether it was hearing new quail vocalizations, tracking quail that went on 3+ mile walkabouts, or monitoring one particular radio-collared quail (lovingly nicknamed “Waylon”) that lived to be one year old, only to be hit by a car … there wasn’t a day in the field where I wasn’t perplexed.
» Second: Creating a patchwork landscape with different vegetation structures is essential for bobwhite habitat. Altering the timing of burns throughout the season can balance and maintain adequate roosting cover throughout the breeding season while also creating that mosaic and multi-structured landscape.
» Third: As researchers, we haven’t yet determined the best way to count quail. Current research is looking at using audio recording units (ARUs) to record calls and technology, possibly with drones, to help to count birds. Statistical methods are also used to account for missed birds during surveys. If you want the most accurate population estimates, the best thing to do currently is conduct multiple surveys for at least 10 minutes throughout the breeding season, and multiple covey counts in fall. Surveying the same point, ideally three times for 10 minutes, will increase your chances of hearing a bird that is there.
» Fourth: Productive agriculture and wildlife conservation are not mutually exclusive. We can improve these landscapes to support a whole host of wildlife, including pollinators, and of course, benefit the landowner and our beloved bobwhites.
Read the entire story Discovering the Bobwhite: A Research Opportunity That Turns into a Passion for Quail by Olivia Lappin, IHM Rights of Way & Energy Coordinating Wildlife Biologist for QF, at the link below.
https://quailforever.org/BlogLanding/Blogs/Quail-Forever/Discovering-the-Bobwhite.aspx
