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Northern Bobwhite (Colinus Virginianus) Torrey Wenger Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) Torrey Wenger 1990 © Steve Maslowski, USFWS (Click to view a comparison of Atlas I to II) The Northern Bobwhite, a bird of early Bobwhites are legal to raise and release on hunting preserves and are used to train hunting successional habitats, has seen a precipitous dogs to point (MI-DNR 2005, 2007a, 2007b). population decline since its heyday shortly after Thus it is impossible for observers to European settlement (Duerksen 2006). differentiate between released or escaped Bobwhite, also known as quail, typically remain individuals and those belonging to the wild within 1 km (0.62 mi) of their natal area and so population. While bobwhites were found where require patches of appropriate wintering, the map indicates, they are likely not established nesting, and brood-rearing habitat to occur close in all of these areas; atlas protocol cannot together (Brennan 1999). In the human determine if a population is ephemeral. Surveys landscape, this habitat mosaic was provided by to document successful reproduction and winter small general farms; since WWII, farming has survival are needed for confirmation in become industrialized with large monocultures questionable locales. replacing small diversified fields and hedgerows (Lobao and Meyer 2001, Robinson and Breeding Biology Sutherland 2002). This engaging game bird’s As the coveys break up during March, males whistled “bob white?” is becoming scarcer in will give their characteristic whistle throughout Michigan, the northern edge of its range. the day to attract a female (Brennan 1999). The pair builds a well-concealed nest together and Distribution both parents may incubate the eggs, which hatch Historically, this species occurred within the in about three weeks. The female will SLP. A non-migratory ground-dwelling bird, sometimes begin a second nest with a second the bobwhite is limited by severe winters and male, leaving the first male to incubate the heavy snows. The SLP remains a stronghold, clutch and raise the 12-14 young alone; male- although the number of townships with reported incubated clutches can be an important source bobwhites decreased by half since the first of young birds (Brennan 1999). Hatchlings are Atlas, decreasing from 61% of townships to primarily insectivorous until about two months 29%. The NLP and UP also saw decreases. of age, when they switch to the seed-heavy adult diet. The young stay with their parents until the However, this map needs to be interpreted with fall coveys form, at which point they may stay caution, especially the isolated northern records. with their natal group or join a different group. © 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) Torrey Wenger Ring-necked Pheasants occasionally lay eggs in Maintaining habitat is expensive but effective bobwhite nests (Brennan 1999). (Brennan 1999). The Northern Bobwhite Conservation Initiative (NBCI) is a habitat- Abundance and Population Trends based recovery plan focusing on nesting and (Click to view trends from the BBS) brood-rearing cover; while the northern portion Northern Bobwhites have been decreasing of the range (including Michigan) was not through the Great Lakes region since at least the specifically included, general recommendations 1970s (Duerksen 2006, Kleen et al. 2004, Risley including “replace non-native cool season 2007). BBS data (1966-2007) provides grasses with native warm season grasses” are disturbing trends: statistically significant annual applicable anywhere (Dimmick et al. 2002). decreases of 3.0% survey-wide, 2.6% within NBCI estimates that more than 75% of its Region 3, and 8.8% in Michigan (Sauer et al. population goals will be achieved using 2008). Results of whistling surveys conducted farmland, including CRP lands (Dimmick et al. by the DNRE since 1958 showed a drastic 2002). The rise of organic and small-scale population decline in the late 1970s, related to community supported farms could potentially severe winter weather; the population has create habitat for bobwhite as well as other recovered but not to earlier levels (Gormley and species (Freemark and Kirk 2001). Luukkonen 1998, Tuovila et al. 2003). While Conservation will require cooperation between bobwhite populations fluctuate in response to wildlife, agricultural, and land managers, in winter severity, long-term declines are related to addition to land use planners. habitat loss (Duerksen 2006). In Michigan, 97% of the Northern Bobwhite’s The hunting season and bag limits are range is held by private landowners (Tuovila et determined yearly according to population al. 2003). Any successful management plan density. A short season is typically offered in must be a cooperative effort between game the southeastern LP. managers and private landowners. The Northern Bobwhite has not received the same Conservation Needs management attention in Michigan that larger Management of the Northern Bobwhite lies with game birds (e.g., Wild Turkey, Canada Goose) state natural resource agencies. Two private have. This endearing little bird deserves to be organizations, Quail Forever and Quail enduring as well. Unlimited, supports management efforts nationwide; neither has a Michigan chapter. While the bobwhite is not managed at the federal level, programs from which it benefits do exist. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) operates the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which encourages farmers to set aside lands with wildlife habitat as just one of the program goals. The Landowner Incentive Program (LIP) of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is geared primarily towards wildlife restoration. The fate of the Northern Bobwhite is closely tied to the amount of early successional habitat. © 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) Torrey Wenger Literature Citations 2001-2005. Bird Studies Canada, Environment Canada, Ontario Field Brennan, L.A. 1999. Northern Bobwhite Ornithologists, Ontario Ministry of Natural (Colinus virginianus). In The birds of North Resources, and Ontario Nature. Toronto, America, No. 397 (A. Poole and F. Gill, ON. eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Robinson, R.A., and W.J. Sutherland. 2002. Philadelphia, PA. Post-war changes in arable farming and Duerksen, B. 2006. Northern Bobwhite. In biodiversity in Great Britain. Journal of Cutright, N.J., B.R. Harriman, and R.W. Applied Ecology 39(1): 157-176. Howe. 2006. Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Sauer, J.R., J.E. Hines, and J. Fallon. 2008. The Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Society for North American Breeding Bird Survey, Ornithology, Inc. Waukesha, WI. Results and Analysis 1966-2007. Version Freemark, K.E., and D.A. Kirk. 2001. Birds on 5.15.2008. USGS Patuxent Wildlife organic and conventional farms in Ontario: Research Center. Laurel, MD. Partitioning effects of habitat and practices Tuovila, V.R., S.B. Chadwick, and C.A. on species composition and abundance. Stewart. 2003. Pheasant and Northern Biological Conservation 101(3): 337-350. Bobwhite Quail status in Michigan, 2003. Gormley, J.R., and D.R. Luukkonen. 1998. Michigan Department of Natural Recources Northern Bobwhite Quail population status Wildlife Report No. 3409. in Michigan, 1998. Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division Report No. 3283. Kleen, V.M., L. Cordle, and R.A. Montgomery. 2004. The Illinois Breeding Bird Atlas. Illinois Natural History Survey Special Publication No. 26. Lobao, L., and K. Meyer. 2001. The great agricultural transition: Crisis, change, and social consequences of Twentieth Century US farming. Annual Review of Sociology 27: 103-124. Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MI-DNR). 2005. Game bird release permit. Wildlife Division, PR 2200. Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MI-DNR). 2007a. Michigan licensed game bird hunting preserves. Wildlife Division, IC 2563-1. Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MI-DNR). 2007b. Special dog training area – Application and permit. Wildlife Division, PR 9113. Risley, C. 2007. Northern Bobwhite. In Cadman, M.D., D.A. Sutherland, G.G. Beck, D. Lepage, and A.R. Couturier (eds.). 2007. Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario, © 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center .
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