Go to www.bringbackbobwhites.org to find out more aboutvarious publications and videos regarding bobwhites.

Native grass pastures provide high quality summerforage for cattle and cover for bobwhites/wildlife.

ACRONYMSCRP- Conservation Reserve Program, includes regular

CRP, Continuous CRP and Conservation ReserveEnhancement Programs (CREP).

EQIP- Environmental Quality Incentives ProgramNBCI - National Bobwhite Conservation InitiativeNBTC - National Bobwhite Technical CommitteeNGO- Non-Government OrganizationUSDA - United States Department of AgricultureWHIP - Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program

The National Bobwhite Technical Committee (NBTC)completed in March 2002 the Northern BobwhiteConservation Initiative (NBCI), later changed toNational Bobwhite Conservation Initiative. The Initiativewas the first-ever landscape-scale habitat restorationand population recovery plan for bobwhite quail(Colinus virginianus) in the U.S. NBCI was developedin recognition of (1) the continuing serious decline ofbobwhite populations across most of the speciesʼrange, and (2) the necessity for large-scale coordinated,action at the regional level.

A revision of the 2002 NBCI was completed in2011

and can be reviewed atwww.bringbackbobwhites.org

Southeastern CoastalPlains & Piedmont

This pamphlet was developed by theNational Bobwhite Technical Committee(NBTC), Outreach Committee. TheNBTC was formed by the SoutheasternAssociation of Fish and Wildlife Agenciesin 1995 and is composed of wildlife

biologists from state and federal agencies,universities, private conservation groups

and private/corporate landowners. The NBTCis charged with addressing the long-term decline in bobwhite quailpopulations through management, research and education. 10/11

Photo credits: male bobwhite by Michael A. Kelly, longleaf pines by LouisJustice, prescribed burn by Elsa Gallager, cattle and forbs by David Howell

• The average number of eggs in a bobwhite nest is 12-15.• The normal incubation for bobwhites is 23 days.• A newly-hatched bobwhite chick is about the size of a bumblebee. • Mid-June to mid-July is typically the peak hatching time for

the ground-nesting bobwhite.• Bobwhite chicks can fly when three weeks old.• Over 80% of the annual quail population fails to carry over to

the next year.• Bobwhites require from 47-55 days to complete their nesting

cycle.• It takes a bobwhite chick at least 120-140 days to develop to

adult size.• Bare ground and shrubby, brushy cover is an essential part

of quail habitat.• Like rabbits, bobwhites are an “early successional” species.

That means you'll find them in places that are not denselyovergrown and that have had recent ground disturbance withannual plants (ragweed).

• You donʼt have to plant native warm season grasses to havequail on your property. Use an approved herbicide to removeunwanted grasses, such as fescue, and let natural plantsuccession occur.

• Overgrown fencerows have been replaced with mature treesthat provide poor bobwhite escape cover. Manage yourfencerows and woods edges to create brushy habitat.

• The daily water requirements of bobwhites are usually metthrough moisture from green plants, food, insects, dew and snow.

The bobwhite quail is the most widely distributed andintensively studied of all North American quail, but inrecent decades its abundance has declined dramaticallythroughout much of its native range. Critical to helpingimprove quail numbers is an understanding of bobwhiteecology and management. This pamphlet offers asummary of key quail life history and habitat managementneeds.

Habitat Basics

Bobwhites utilize a variety of cover throughout their broadgeographic range, including:

• Grass/forb communities – This cover varies from thenative grass and forb (forbs are non-woody broad-leavedplants) rangelands at the western edge of bobwhite rangeto the old fields, fallow areas and savanna habitat in theEast. Throughout its entire range, it is especiallyimportant that the bobwhiteʼs habitat not be too thick atground level. Bare ground interspersed with uprightannual and perennial plants (forbs) provides food andforaging areas, brood-rearing, nesting habitat androosting sites. Periodic habitat disturbance (plowing,disking, grazing, controlled burning, herbicide spraying)is critical in areas where higher rainfall occurs. Brood-raising and food-producing grass/forb communities --- sovital to the birds well-being --- can be lost to advancingplant succession in as little as two or three years in higherrainfall areas.

• Shrubby/woody communities – Shrubs and trees areimportant components of good bobwhite habitat. Theseareas provide protection from predators and extremeweather, offer travel lanes and resting areas, and providefood. The western edge of the bobwhiteʼs range containsgrasslands with scattered thorny bushes; the Plains andMidwest are dominated by brushy draws, fence rows andwoodlots; and the East and Southeast contain pinewoods and shrubby travel lanes. Pine woods requireperiodic thinning and a basal area of no more than 50 to60 square feet per acre that permits a grass/forbunderstory. Following a thinning, a prescribed burn shouldbe utilized to enhance habitat quality. Patches ofshrubby/wooded areas interspersed with cropland andgrass/forb vegetation are needed for bobwhites to attaingood population levels.

Nesting

Bobwhites often construct nests by forming a slightdepression in the soil, lined with grass and/or pine needlesand the nest commonly includes a canopy of deadgrasses. Nests are often within 75 feet of an opening oredge. Preferred nesting sites contain some scatteredshrubs and have been undisturbed for two or more years.In a pasture/range situation, continuous grazing orimproper stocking rates can result in removal of nestingcover and elimination of bunch grasses. A typical clutchcontains 12-15 eggs that hatch 23 days after incubationbegins. Nest success varies from site to site and from yearto year, however, approximately 25% of all nests aresuccessful. Bobwhites will re-nest following unsuccessfulattempts and research has shown that in good habitat,second broods are more common than once believed.

Brood Habitat

Soon after hatching, broods leave the nest and are caredfor by one or both adults. To ensure best brood survival, itis important that quality brood-raising cover be available.Young chicks must be able to move easily on semi-bareground so they can catch insects. Overhead cover is alsoneeded to protect chicks from predators and harshweather. A mixture of annual grasses and forbs (such asragweed, beggarweeds (sticktights) and annuallespedezas) provide cover and high protein foods (insects)needed by bobwhite chicks.

Fall/Winter Activities

Broods and unmated birds typically join together andbreak-up throughout the late summer/early fall. This mixingof bobwhites is referred to as the "fall shuffle". When thetraditional covey unit has formed, it contains an average of10 to 16 birds and may include young from several differentbroods. Bobwhite coveys typically settle into a"headquarters" area, containing some brushy/woody coveradjacent to a winter food supply of weed seeds, wastegrains and soft/hard mast. On more northern winterranges, a portion of the brushy/woody cover must containa dense understory. Coveys typically move less than a 1/4mile on winter ranges, but movement varies based ondisturbance, weather and food availability. Bobwhitesprefer to roost on the ground in low-growing weedyvegetation, but will move into thicker cover during periodsof severe winter weather.

Foods

Bobwhites are primarily seed-eaters, with over 1000different plants having been documented in their diet. Asmuch as 75 percent of the annual adult diet may becomposed of food from annual plants (ragweed, foxtail).Various legumes, including lespedezas (not sericea) andbeggarweeds, make an especially attractive food. It iscritical that seeds are available on exposed soil withupright overhead cover offering protection while the birdsforage. In the case of waste grains (soybeans, corn,wheat), thick brushy or woody cover needs to be nearby.During the late winter/early spring period, greenvegetation becomes a key food and may improve theoverall physical condition of the birds, thereby resultingin improved nest success. Insects are eaten in smallquantities by adult bobwhites, but are essential for chicks.Below is a summary of some regional foods used bybobwhite quail.

Major bobwhite plant foods reported from severalgeographic regions in the United States (Dimmick 1992)*

Southeastern CoastalPlains & Piedmont

Beggarweeds (sticktights) Corn Crab GrassSassafras Ragweed Korean/Kobe Lespedeza Oaks (acorns)Pines Wild Beans Panic Grasses WheatPaspalums Bicolor Lespedeza Partridge Pea SoybeanDogwoods Sorghum Ash Foxtail GrassesBlackberries

Midwest & Midsouth Agricultural Lands

Korean/Kobe LespedezaCommon Ragweed DogwoodWild Beans Beggarweeds (sticktights) Partridge PeaBlackberries Oaks (acorns) Wild GrapeAsh Sorghum SassafrasFoxtails Wheat CornSoybeans

South Texas Plains

Doveweeds Hoary Milkpea Yellow WoodsorrelRagweeds Verbena Texas MilletWild Rice Switchgrass BristlegrassBrowntop Millet Groundcherry Spiny HackberryLive Oak (acorns) Paspalums

* Dimmick, Ralph, 1992. Northern Bobwhite. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. National TechnicalInformation Service. 5285 Port Royal Rd., Springfield, VA 22161. 78 pp.

In the Southeast, longleaf pine plantings provide for bothtimber production and wildlife benefits.

Everyone would like to see morebobwhites on their property.Accomplishing that objectiveoften takes a lot more work andeffort than many folks imagine.Below are some common

misconceptions that landownersshould be aware of as they strive to

implement a quail management plan.

• Disturbance - Diversity - Dedication…Those words describe the backbone of any quailmanagement plan. The bobwhite simply cannot exist ingood numbers if a well-developed plan that stressesthose three words is not implemented. So oftenindividuals think that they can just protect an area forquail and expect the birds to thrive. It wonʼt happen. Thebest managed wild bobwhite areas today, whether onpine plantations, grazing lands or grain farms have alarge portion (typically 1/3 to 2/3 depending on weather& habitat conditions) of the landscape disturbed annuallyby controlled burning, disking, grazing or cropping.

• Cover is Critical … Any tract of land being developedto benefit quail, from 40 to 4,000 acres, must havesufficient favorable cover that enables bobwhites tosurvive and thrive. That cover, which varies by region,must fulfill the seasonal needs of quail. Simply plantinga couple food plots is no guarantee the right amount ofbobwhite nesting, brood-raising, foraging and roostingcover occurs to support a quail population. The farmlandscape of yesteryear, with multiple, small diversifiedfarming operations, created a favorable environmentfor bobwhites. Unfortunately, it takes a more consciouseffort to achieve that goal today.

• Looks Good To Me …Many individuals interested inhaving more bobwhites on their farm or ranch fail to seedifferences in the cover they have today and that ofyears past, when quail populations thrived. Changes inplant species occurrence and composition can be bothsubtle and dramatic. Those changes result in both thequality and quantity of available quail habitat and are amajor reason for our current quail decline.

• Letʼs Turn ʻem Loose … Releasing pen-raised birdswill never be the answer to having more wild quail. Whilethose pen-raised birds may help maintain shootingpreserves and assist with dog training and field trials, theycan never help bring back our native wild bobwhites.

• Education A Key …Understanding what can be doneon your farm or ranch to maintain or increase bobwhitenumbers is essential. No game bird has received moreattention and study than the bobwhite quail. Please checkout www.bringbackbobwhites.org for more information onsuccessful quail management. Additionally, participationin a local or regional workshop or field day on quailmanagement can help you see what other landownershave done to benefit quail numbers. Today, moreopportunity exists to receive technical and financialsupport for bobwhite management through state, federaland non-governmental organization programs than hasever occurred. Please take advantage of it.

FOOD AND COVER ESTABLISHMENT PRACTICES THAT CAN HELP IMPROVE QUAIL ABUNDANCE.FOOD/COVER

ESTABLISHMENTWHERE SUITED BENEFIT TIME FREQUENCY OF PRACTICE

COST-SHARE AVAILABILITY*

CRPWHIPEQIP

STATE/NGO

Buffers/Field Borders

Crop areas adjacent todrainage areas & forest edges

Nesting, brood-rearing, & travel lanes Spring / FallSeveral to many years, if maintainedproperly

X X X

Cool Season Grasses (Not Fescue)

Open lands needing wildlifefriendly cover

Nesting, foraging and roosting cover. Bestdone in mixtures with forbs & legumes.

Fall / SpringShould persist for several years. Preventheavy litter buildup.

X X X

Forbs & LegumesOpen fields, idle areas,pine/savanna understory,buffers & field borders

Food (insects & seeds), brood habitat &cover

Fall / SpringSeveral years, but managementdisturbance needed.

X X X

Grain PlantingsOpen acres needing winterfoods

Food / bare ground Spring / SummerAnnually, but also creates natural earlysuccessional plant cover if left undisturbedup to two years after planting.

X

Longleaf PineNative range along SE coastalareas

Restores valuable fire-friendly ecosystemfor quail/wildlife

Planting Late Winter /Early Spring

75+ years over sawlog rotation. X X X

Native Warm SeasonGrasses

Open fields, pine savannaunderstory, buffers and fieldborders, rotational pastures

Nesting & roosting cover. Best done inmixtures with forbs & legumes. Use lowestseeding rates for wildlife plantings.

Spring / Early SummerIndefinitely, but periodic disturbance amust.

X X X

Natural Plant Succession Any area subject to disturbanceCreates early successional plant covervital to bobwhite survival.

Year-roundEvery two to four years. More frequent inareas with high rainfall.

X X

Oak/Savanna Restoration Degraded oak/savanna areas Restores beneficial ecosystemMaintenance activitiescompleted year-round.

Indefinitely, if properly maintained. X X X

Go to www.bringbackbobwhites.org to find out more about bobwhite/wildlife management.

Forbs are non-woody broad-leaved plants thatprovide needed cover and food for bobwhites.The forbs pictured are black-eyed Susan, daisy

fleabane, ragweed and annual lespedeza.

MAJOR BOBWHITE SEASONAL ACTIVITIES AND NEEDS

Illustration reprinted with permission of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries

Shrubs Large open fields & travel lanes Escape areas & travel lanes Late Winter Indefinitely, but periodic thinning needed. X X X

*Programs change, so check with your wildlife biologist or natural resource personnel for current availability.

TYPES OF DISTURBANCE PRACTICES NEEDED TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN QUAIL HABITAT.DISTURBANCEPRESCRIPTION

WHERE SUITED BENEFIT TIME FREQUENCY OF PRACTICECOST-SHARE AVAILABILITY*

CRPWHIPEQIP

STATE/NGO

Controlled BurningIdle fields, thinned pineplantations

Thin litter accumulation , kill hardwoodtrees & shrubs, stimulate native legumes

Primarily fall/winter, butgrowing season burns maybe useful.

Usually every 2-3 years, depending onvegetation growth.

x x x

Strip DiskingOpenings, idle fields, thinned pinestands, older CRP plantings.

Sets back plant succession, thinsovergrown areas to improve brood cover.

Fall / Winter bestEvery 2-3 years, disk small percentannually on rotational basis.

x x x

Pine Thinning Pine plantationsOpens stands, permits more sunlight onground to encourage forb growth.

Year RoundVaries by species and site index. Fromquail standpoint thin as often as possible.

x x

GrazingNative grass paddocksestablished for short durationgrazing systems

Establishes ideal roosting and nestingcover. Properly manage grazing intensity(no overgrazing).

High intensity - lowfrequency grazing works wellwith native bunch grass.

Annually x

Grazing RangeNo overgrazing. Proper grazingmanagement compatible with good quailmanagement.

Implement at least a 3pasture rotation system.

Annually x

HerbicidesKill unwanted exotic plants. Thinor eliminate competingvegetation.

Alters advancing plant succession andenhances success of tree, shrub,grass/legume/forb establishment.

Mostly during spring,summer, fall.

Annually to several years. x x x

Roller Chopping /Aeration

Open fields and brushland Sets back plant succession.Open fields - Fall/WinterBrush control - late summer

Every 2 - 3 years. x

Fescue ConversionIdle fields, established fescueplantings.

Eliminate poor quality wildlife cover. Fall through early Spring Permanently eliminate fescue. x x x

MowingOpen fields. May be needed tomow heavy vegetation beforedisking.

Can help improve access, but best quailbenefits accomplished from otherpractices.

September through March Generally done on annual rotational basis. x

*Programs change, so check with your wildlife biologist or natural resource personnel for current availability.

Escape and Protection(October-April)Dense cover. Vine-filledthicket, wood lot,hedgerows or fencerows.

October

Fall ShuffleJanuary

April July

Brooding(June-October)Recentlyfallowedground: erect annualforbs, well-spaced stems,exposed soil beneath. Legumecomponent for insect production.

Nesting(April 15-September)Mixture of scattered bunchgrasses, forbs and seedlingtrees. Moderate litterfrom previous year. No-till row crops.

Pair-bonds