why is the quail population is poor?

Question

I have been told the reason our quail population is so low is because the turkey population is so high and they destroy quail eggs and young quail. any proof one way or the other? thanks

Answer 1

There are many factors that can and do affect Quail population.
I don’t know where you hunt and don’t need to.
But let me show some examples of what can and will reduce Quail population.
Weather plays a big factor, too much Rain on chicks will drown them, severe Drought will cause dehydration and kill them.
Fire whether a controlled burn by a rancher or accidental grass fire take their toll on nest full of eggs and young chicks that cant fly.
Predation by too many birds of pray or bobcats, coyotes, opossums, raccoons, skunks, snakes,
Then you must consider strays or domestic pets, will destroy nest, eggs and chicks.
I have seen house cats stalk a covey and kill 3 adult birds and not eat one of them.
I really cant say what happened to that cat but you can bet it is not killing any more Quail.
How close do you hunt near houses, cat will stray 3 to 4 miles from there home and dog also.
I knew one woman just a mile from my house who HAD 27 cat.
Ranchers trying to get the most out of their land will over graze, which destroys habitat.
Ranchers and farmers cutting and baling every blade of grass they can for hay to sell or for there cattle, reduces habitat.
People playing on there 4 wheelers and dirt bikes heavily in Quail habitat will cause the birds to abandon it for lesser quality habitat.
Where I live the invasion of armadillos has been documented by our wildlife biologist as detrimental to all ground nesting game birds, with there rooting around for invertebrates, destroy nest and they also recently discovered by testing stomach content of several armadillos found ½ of the ones tested had eaten eggs.
Wild pigs are very hard on all ground nesting game birds.
Now how many of these factors that I have mentioned apply or could apply to your hunting area.
Now add hunting on an already badly depleted population and you reduce it even more for the next year.
Many privet hunting leases have required lease holders to run trap lines to reduce many of the smaller predators as in opossums, skunks and raccoons.
They also predator hunt to reduce coyotes and bobcats and some even reduce feral hog, dogs and cats.
They go out with the intention to reduce all armadillos and snakes that are seen by shooting.
When they feel they have a handle on the predatory problem they buy young quail and feed them in a area for a couple of weeks in a pen then release them and keep feeding them to keep them in the area, to rebuild the population.

Answer 2

Quail are not very smart. They won't even fly in the snow, and this makes them vulnerable to predators,especially feral cats. And modern farming practices have caused a lot of habitat loss

Answer 3

How about wild turkeys. I think wild turkey are probably one of worst predators of all ground nesting birds. They eat the eggs and also the chicks. And, there is just not one predator going through the woods, there are 20 or 30 eating everything in their path. Grouse have taken a big hit in Michigan were there are turkeys.

Answer 4

d58 pretty much summed it up but I didnt see him mention anything about ants, I've heard that the spread of fire ants has had a hand at the qual demise also. Supposedly fire ants have not always been around in certain parts of the country.

Answer 5

haven't heard that one about the turkey.

Answer 6

loss of habitat