Bobwhite Quail Habitat Characteristics

This video introduces the field characteristics of Northern Bobwhite Quail habitat. The video features Keith Williamson, Darlington County landowner discussing quail management on his property. Also featured are Andy Krieg, SCDNR Farm Bill Quail Biologist and TJ Savereno, Clemson Extension Area Forestry and Wildlife Agent.
This information is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement of brand names or registered trademarks by the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service is implied, nor is any discrimination intended by the exclusion of products or manufacturers not named. All recommendations are for South Carolina conditions and may not apply to other areas. Use pesticides only according to the directions on the label. All recommendations for pesticide use are for South Carolina only and were legal at the time of publication, but the status of registration and use patterns are subject to change by action of state and federal regulatory agencies. Follow all directions, precautions and restrictions that are listed.

[@curiouslass4280]

I had a pair of Quail that made a nest and laid eggs in my BlackBerry bushes in an area where we dispose our grass clippings from our mower. I have fruit trees there as well that provide insects, I also plant high pollinating plants for the hummingbirds. The quail raised their young in my yard and also use my juniper shrubs for cover. I have a bunch of asters in my yard. Pines and oaks for cover too. Now that it’s cold and started to snow I have fed them bird seed to help them out.

[@michaeldinkins9145]

These dudes sure know their plants. Thank you. I'm trying to restore my land to what it was

[@CheriBenIesau]

We're trying to reintroduce quail at our farm and this video was highly educational on what sort of habitat we need to encourage. There are no native quail populations anywhere close to us so no chance of "build it and they will come". That said, does anyone have a suggestion on how to get them? Are farm raised Bobwhite able to be reintroduced? Again, thank you for the great information!

[@andrewcooper1669]

I’ve been researching this topic for several months as I was also interested in restoring a quail population. I came to the conclusion that it is near impossible to introduce pen raised bobwhites to the wild. The main reason is they lack the necessary skills to avoid predators. I’ve read articles, watched videos, and talked to several people first hand who tried and failed. Habitat is everything, but it would take a collective effort from you and neighbors to establish a good wild quail population.

[@cheriben-iesau408]

@@andrewcooper1669 Thanks for the insight. A neighbor and I tried several years ago just outside of New Orleans. Twenty years ago the area had a good Bobwhite population but urban sprawl and manicured lawns removed habitat. We lived right on the MS River with acres of woods just over the levee so the neighbor and I thought we could reintroduce them. We hatched several recurring broods, and slowly introduced them to the outside--locking them back in at night. They stratified immediately into those that came and went in their coop like chickens, and those that were pure wild. Unexpected to me, the tamer ones survived much longer but the expanse of lawn and manicured leveee between us and the woods was perfect hawk hunting grounds and eventually no quail remained. We live in a much more remote area now but it may be that once lost they are never to come back.

[@HinduBoy]

@@cheriben-iesau408 interesting on the population splitting up ... Did the wild ones come back for feedings or check in with coop group?

[@CheriBenIesau]

@@HinduBoy they rarely came back. There was a distinct difference in the behavior.

[@CheriBenIesau]

@Disabled.Megatron I recently learned from a USDA wildlife biologist that our property backs up to a wildlife preserve (Big Branch Marsh) that has a small population of Bobwhite! This has encouraged me. We're adding about an acre of meadow area to our property this coming year--cleaning out some storm-damaged treefalls and planting native grasses/flowers in their place--so I think it's about time to start raising some.

[@jjnb57]

Thank you for the video. A quick question, have you noticed any relationship between tick populations and the areas you burn? I've heard/read before that lack of fire can lead to increases in tick populations.

[@FNRClemson]

Here's some research on burnings impact on ticks- news.uga.edu/prescribed-burning-reduced-tick-populations-0415/

[@FNRClemson]

Here's another research study done- journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0112174

[@mrs.bigshot4488]

Wow😇

[@justforfun4623]

Best thing we are good at as a species is destroying wild populations of native species, could you imagin if idiots would not let cats run, or if they would let us kill stray cats the quail might have had a chance to adaptm