Vol 18 • No. 7

Why Research Takes Time

by Dr. Ryan O’Shaughnessy

One of the questions we hear most often at the Rolling Plains Quail Research Foundation is, “Have you found the answer yet?” Whether we’re studying medicated feed, GPS tracking, habitat management, or parasites, everyone is eager to know the results. We are too. But good science rarely provides immediate answers, and that’s exactly why it is valuable.

Wildlife research is unlike conducting an experiment in a laboratory where every variable can be controlled. Bobwhite quail live in an ever-changing environment. Rainfall, temperature, predator abundance, insect populations, grazing pressure, and vegetation all fluctuate from year to year. Any one of these factors can influence quail survival and reproduction, making it difficult to separate the effects of a management practice from the effects of Mother Nature.

Imagine conducting a study during an exceptional rainfall year. Quail numbers may increase dramatically regardless of the treatment being tested. Conversely, a severe drought could reduce populations even if the treatment is highly effective. If researchers based their conclusions on a single year, they could easily reach the wrong answer. That is why wildlife studies are designed to span multiple years and, whenever possible, multiple properties.

At RPQRF, we place a strong emphasis on replication and long-term monitoring. Rather than relying on observations from one ranch or one season, we repeat our studies across different locations and environmental conditions. Only after collecting sufficient data can we determine whether a pattern is real or simply the result of natural variation.

This approach can sometimes feel frustrating. Preliminary results from one year may look promising, but it would be irresponsible to declare success before the evidence supports that conclusion. Our responsibility is not to provide quick answers—it is to provide accurate answers. Those answers become the foundation for management recommendations that landowners can trust for years to come.

Science is a process of continual learning. Every field season builds upon the last, refining our understanding of quail ecology and improving our ability to manage these remarkable birds. The investment made by our donors, partners, and cooperating landowners allows this process to continue, ensuring that the recommendations we share are supported by sound science rather than anecdote.

The next time you hear about a new RPQRF research project, remember that patience is part of the process. The most meaningful discoveries rarely happen overnight, but when they do come, they have the power to improve quail management across Texas for generations.

Seeing Incubation in Real Time: What GPS Collars Reveal That VHF Cannot

by Dr. Dan Foley

For decades, traditional VHF radio telemetry has been one of the most important tools in quail research. VHF collars allowed researchers to relocate bobwhites, estimate survival, identify general habitat use, and find nests that otherwise would have gone undetected. That technology built much of the foundation for what we know about bobwhite ecology. But as tracking technology advances, GPS collars are opening a new window into the lives of wild quail—especially during nesting.

The graph shown here comes from a solar-powered  GPS tracking collar equipped with an accelerometer on an adult female bobwhite.  The accelerometer records fine-scale body movement, summarized here as ODBA, or  Overall Dynamic Body Acceleration. In simple terms, higher ODBA values indicate  more intense movement, while low values indicate relative stillness. This  single trace tells a remarkably detailed story.

On  May 3–4, the bird was in a pre-incubation period. Movement was frequent and  irregular as she continued normal activity before settling into full  incubation. Beginning around May 5, the pattern changed sharply. For the next  nine days, the female exhibited the classic signature of incubation: long  periods of very low movement while sitting on the nest, interrupted by short  bursts of activity when she left the nest or responded to disturbance. Around  May 13–14, that incubation pattern ended abruptly. The nest was depredated after approximately nine days of incubation.

Brooding Habitat is Important

by Kyndal Underwood

For quail, hatching is only the beginning. While a successful nest is an important milestone, the first few weeks of a chick’s life are among the most critical for survival.

Unlike many birds, Bobwhite and Scaled Quail chicks are precocial meaning they leave the nest within hours of hatching and begin searching for food almost immediately. During their first two weeks, chicks rely heavily on insects, which provide the protein needed for rapid growth and feather development. Habitats rich in native forbs and diverse plant communities support abundant insect populations and give young quail the best chance of survival.

Quality brood habitat is equally important. Quail chicks need overhead cover to protect them from predators and weather, while maintaining enough bare ground beneath the vegetation to move freely and forage. Areas that are too dense can restrict movement, while areas with little cover leave chicks vulnerable.

At the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch, we monitor nesting and brood-rearing success to better understand the factors that influence quail populations. Here are a few suggested tips to creating better quail brooding habitat on your property:

• Maintain Some Patches of Bare Ground

  • Chicks are only about the size of a bumblebee when they hatch and need open ground to move freely.

  • Too much grass litter can prevent chicks from reaching insects.

• Promote Native Forbs

  • Wildflowers and broadleaf plants attract insects far better than dense grass.

  • Plants like ragweed, croton, sunflower, broomweed and partridge pea are excellent brood habitat.

• Avoid Dense Grass Monocultures

  • Thick stands of introduced grasses such as bermudagrass or old, ungrazed CRP fields limit chick movement and insect availability.

  • Think “patchy,” not “carpet.”

• Provide Overhead Canopy

  • A light canopy of grasses and forbs protects chicks from hawks and extreme heat while allowing them to forage underneath.

• Keep Escape Cover Nearby

  • Broods rarely venture far from low-growing shrubby escape cover.

  • Plum thickets, lotebush, skunkbush sumac, or scattered brush mottes provide quick protection from predators.

• Use Prescribed Fire

  • Fire removes excess litter, stimulates annual forbs, increases insect abundance, and creates excellent brooding habitat during the first few growing seasons.

• Manage Grazing

  • Proper stocking rates create the patchy vegetation structure quail need.

  • Both overgrazing and complete rest can reduce brood habitat quality.

• Control Excessive Brush

  • Light to moderate brush is beneficial, but dense mesquite or juniper reduces sunlight reaching the ground, limiting the growth of forbs and insect-producing plants.

The Perfect Brooding Habitat

A good rule of thumb is to imagine a quail chick moving through the habitat. It should be able to:

1. Walk easily beneath the vegetation.

2. Find insects every few steps.

3. Stay shaded from the hot summer sun.

4. Reach protective shrub cover within a few seconds if danger appears.

That’s the recipe for successful brood rearing—and ultimately, more quail on the landscape.

Summer Update

by Mitchell Riggs

Summer is one of the busiest times of the year at the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch. Data collection, habitat management, education, and outreach activities are all in full swing. Here are a few highlights from what our team has been working on this summer.

The Research Ranch has received 7.8 inches of rainfall year-to-date. While we are grateful for the rain, we are currently experiencing moderate drought conditions. Triple-digit temperatures have also arrived, bringing the hot, dry conditions that are typical of a West Texas summer.

Our research efforts continue as we monitor radio- and GPS-marked bobwhites, search for nests, conduct spring call counts, and conduct small mammal surveys. These projects provide valuable information on quail reproduction, survival, and habitat conditions. Be on the lookout for our spring call count and small mammal survey results in next month’s newsletter.

Habitat management also remains a top priority. We are currently grubbing 125 acres of mesquite with the generous assistance of Warren CAT, which donated the use of an excavator and dozer for the project. Once the mesquite is removed, the area will be reseeded next spring with a diverse native plant mix to improve wildlife habitat. In addition, our crew is hand-spraying mesquite across the ranch with a goal of treating 600 acres this year.

Education continues to be a cornerstone of our mission. We recently concluded the 33rd Battalion of the Rolling Plains Bobwhite Brigade, where youth spent a week learning about bobwhite ecology, natural resource management, leadership, and communication skills. We also presented educational programs to youth at Texas Wildlife Association’s Land, Water & Wildlife Expedition and hosted the Students of Stewardship Workshop at RPQRR.

We are also in the middle of another successful season of QuailMasters, providing landowners and conservation professionals from across Texas with hands-on education in bobwhite ecology and habitat management. Investing in people is just as important as investing in habitat, and we appreciate everyone who continues to support these educational programs.

As summer progresses, we will continue collecting valuable research data, implementing habitat improvements, and sharing what we learn with landowners, conservation professionals, and the next generation of wildlife stewards. None of this work would be possible without the continued support of our members, donors, volunteers, and partners. Thank you for investing in the future of bobwhite quail and the conservation of Texas rangelands.

From our Facebook Page

by Dana Wright

The Facebook post of the month goes to a “Feisty Bobwhite Quail” who is not lacking confidence. The video is of a male Bobwhite chasing several Scaled Quail around, making it clear that he wasn’t interested in sharing space with any potential rivals. Despite being smaller than the scaled quail he is pursuing, this little guy has plenty of attitude and wasn’t afraid to defend what he considered his territory. This bobwhite certainly acts like he owns the place!

Drew McEachern sent this video to us, he was one of our first quail technicians (2007) at RPQRR. We love staying in touch with our former employees!

Thank You!

A huge thank you to Stan Graff at El Dorado Motors in McKinney, Texas, for giving the Rolling Plains Quail Research Foundation a great deal on our new Chevrolet Suburban!

This vehicle will help keep our team on the road as we travel across Texas conducting research, educating landowners and wildlife enthusiasts, and spreading the message of quail conservation and habitat management.

We truly appreciate your support of our mission and look forward to putting plenty of miles on this Suburban in the years ahead. Thank you for helping us make a difference for quail and the landscapes they depend on!

If you would like to donate equipment or support the foundation’s research, education, and habitat management efforts, please contact Ryan O’Shaughnessy.

The Rolling Plains Quail Research Foundation greatly depends on annual  donations. We hope you will consider making a contribution to help us continue our mission of preserving Texas’ wild quail hunting heritage for this, and future, generations!