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Bug me . . . please! by Dr. Dale Rollins
A colleague of mine here in San Angelo (Steve Nelle) often recites an ecological truism—“if you like butterflies, you have to learn to like caterpillars too.” Lesser things often beget greater things. Likely you’ve noticed a plethora of grasshoppers this summer. IF quail abundance this fall is tied to grasshoppers, we better buy more bird dogs. Be especially thankful for those nymphs about the length of your thumbnail—they provide prime fodder for quail. Most of us use our windshields as a barometer to insect abundance. Splatter-free windshields and perhaps monthly washings at the gas pump, as were the rule last year, don’t bode well for quail. Windshields that look like protoplasm palettes and washings between fill-ups are tasks of good tidings. As we speak, we’re evaluating insect availability across 8 different habitat types on the RPQRR. Interns go afield armed with sweep nets and pitfall traps to determine how CRP fields compare to food plots and prickly pear-studded bottoms, and how discing, patch burn-grazing, and fallow field management impact bug bonanzas. Studies at Auburn University found that fallow fields sustained greater insect abundance than current year food plots or corn fields. Research demonstrated that young chicks (broods) rely heavily on insects to meet the high protein requirements of rapid early growth. In 1982 researchers from Auburn reported a preference for small cultivated feed patches by 12 hens with broods in Alabama. In 1993 researchers reported, after studying 22 broods in North Florida, that quail preferred recently-burned upland pine woods to raise their broods. In each of the four years studied and on both study areas, the preferred brood habitat was fallow “weed fields.” Close to 80% of all broods were raised in this type of habitat. Fallow fields produced more insects (two to five times more) than any other area. The lowest volume of insects occurred in current-year corn fields. Using this information, researchers then compared hunting success with the percentage of fallow fields on the hunting courses they were studying. It was no surprise that the hunting courses with the highest percentage of fallow fields had the best hunting, and vice-versa. Furthermore, these field habitats appeared to be even more important in marginal or poor reproductive years. In good years with optimal summer weather conditions, all the hunting courses might be productive. However, in the bad years when weather was dry, quail populations on the courses with a higher percentage of fields maintained better than the heavily wooded courses. Louis Harveson and colleagues investigated the importance of arthropods in the role of quail reproduction in South Texas in 2004. Diets of laying hens had 3 to 12.5 times more invertebrates than diets of males, and 2.3 to 4.0 times more invertebrates than diets of non-laying females. Bobby Buntyn, a graduate student of mine, measured arthropod abundance on “moist-soil sites” (the area impacted by rainfall runoff collected from spreader dams) on the Hammond Ranch in Pecos County in 2000 and 2001. The spreader dams produced 25 times more vegetation and 6 times as much arthropod “biomass” as the immediately adjacent uplands. Although it is known that arthropods are a vital food source for bobwhite chicks, little work has been conducted to identify which arthropods chicks ingest. Quail researchers at Tall Timbers Research Station in northern Florida analyzed chick feces collected from brood roost sites as a non-invasive technique for investigating chick-diet. To identify the type and minimum number of arthropods present in the diet, diagnostic fragments unique to particular arthropod groups were identified and counted in the chick feces. Their data showed that Coleoptera (beetles), Hymenoptera (ants) and Hemiptera (true bugs, cicadas, hoppers and aphids) were the most abundant arthropods in the feces of chicks. Conversely, the proportion of Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets) in the diet of chicks on all sites was very similar, approximately 7%. This consistently low proportion suggests that bobwhite chicks have difficulty in catching grasshoppers and crickets. Arthropods are “MREs” for quail – the “perfect” food. They offer convenient bundles of protein, energy, amino acids, and moisture. Quail will consume insects whenever they are available, but especially so from May – October. When I took entomology back in 1974, taxonomists recognized 14 Orders, but now they’ve split those into 32 Orders. The ones most important to quail include:
Various spiders (Arachnids) are also important.
We sample insects via 2 methods at RPQRR. Sweep nets (“butterfly nets”) We will be collecting 25 juvenile (5 to 9 weeks old) and 25 adult quail in August for an ongoing parasite study. The crops of these birds will also be examined to determine summer diets, which we don’t know much about (as nearly all “food habits” studies are done from birds collected during the hunting season). When it comes to being the “best” grasshopper habitat, I think of 3 key species of plants: kochia, Russian thistle, and pigweed. There are many other influences of arthropods on quail, i.e., fire ants and desert termites, but these will be addressed in future issues. Below are some useful links for learning more about entomology.
Cadence call (Conservation cadences from the Bobwhite Brigade)
Was Nostradamus a Quail Hunter? About this time each year, I run my quail traplines to put together a quail forecast for the upcoming season. IF you (1) have observations from your respective haunts, (2) are bold (or naive) enough to rate your local quail scene from “1” (pitiful”) to “10” (ala 1987), AND (3) you don’t mind sharing them, please send me your comments (d-rollins@tamu.edu). I need your prognostications by Aug. 15. Supplemental Feeding to Boost Nesting Effort Following a Dry Fall – Winter by Lloyd LaCoste, Research Technician Many factors influence quail populations. One factor is the percent of hens attempting to nest. At RPQRR we wanted to determine if we could increase the number of hens attempting to nest by offering supplemental feed following an extremely dry fall, winter, and spring (2008-09). In March of 2009, we started offering free choice milo in feeders as well as a 24% crude protein layer ration in a pelleted form fed on the ground. The Ranch was divided into 4 treatment areas: 2 pastures received protein only (3 times/week); 2 pastures received milo only ad libitum; two pastures received both protein and milo; and the remaining 2 pastures served as controls receiving no supplemental feed. Game cameras were utilized at each feed site to monitor species visitation. The cameras were set with a ten minute delay between photographs. There were a total of 20 different species photographed. Songbirds were the most often photographed species (occurring in 70 to 90% of the photographs), followed by mourning doves, and white-tailed deer. Quail were the fourth most frequent species and generally accounted for about 2 to 6% of the visitors. Milo disappearance was measured monthly.Feed disappearance was greatest in April 2010, and least in August 2009.(Note: species visitation does not equate to feed consumption by species; deer and raccoons were likely major feed consumers.) During March 2009 we trapped and radiotagged 20 hens per treatment area, then monitored nesting attempts using radio telemetry. The pastures that received both milo and protein had 17 attempted nests; the pastures that received protein only had 13 attempted nests, while the pastures that received milo only had 4 attempted nests each. The non-fed pastures that had no supplemental feeding had 4 attempted nests collectively. Perhaps it’s only coincidence, but the largest nest we’ve documented in 3 years (20 eggs) was found in one of the pastures supplemented with both milo and protein.
A similar study conducted in South Texas during 2008-09 failed to find any benefits of feeding the layer ration. If one would expect to see a difference it should’ve been in the very droughty 2009 nesting season, but none of their radiomarked hens nested in 2009. Our sample size of nests (n = 37) was limited. But, based on these preliminary data, supplementing the bobwhite’s diet following a dry winter-spring with a layer ration appeared to increase nesting attempts relative to milo-only or unfed populations. We discontinued feeding the layer ration in June 2010 due to luxuriant habitat conditions. When La Nina weather patterns return (predicted to do so this fall) we will repeat this experiment. RPQRR interns for Summer 2010 Five student interns spent their summer working at RPQRR; they include (L-R) John Elias from Tarleton, Andrea Montalvo from Texas A&M, Beverly McKinley from Mississippi State, Amanda Moyer from Stephen F. Austin, and David Keierleber from Angelo State. Their tasks ranged from radio telemetry to prescribed burning.
Featured Project of the Month: Dummy Nest At the RPQRR we use simulated (“dummy”) quail nests to provide an estimate of actual quail nesting success. The simulated nests consist of 3 chicken eggs situated in a suitable site for a quail nest. They are then checked at 2 and 4 weeks. A total of 72 nests in rangeland (36 in grass; 36 in PP) and 72 in CRP (all grass) were established, half of which were in sites burned last winter. Nest survival rates were all quite “high” (I’d consider anything above 60% as “high”). Unburned rangeland and burned CRP both showed 87% nest survival, while nest survival was lowest in CRP (64%); burned rangeland was intermediate (80%). Quail invest about 45 days into a successful nest. Nest survival based on simulated nests has shown to be predictive of actual quail nesting success in the Rolling Plains. Based on our estimates, nest success this summer should be above average. In the News Northern Bobwhite Technical Committee The Northern Bobwhite Technical Committee is slated to convene Aug. 3-6 in Wichita, KS. Formerly known as the “Southeast Quail Study Group” this is a body of quail biologists from (mostly) the southeastern U.S. The meeting is slated to be held in Abilene, TX, in 2012, and will include a tour of RPQRR. Exact dates TBA; stay tuned. Texas Open Field Trial Representatives from the Texas Open field trial toured the RPQRR in May with the goal of hosting either the 2011 or 2012 trials here. Quail Posts A series of “Quail Posts” (3 to 10-minute videos) are available at http://www.youtube.com/user/TexWildlifeAssoc. Co-sponsored by RPQRR, the series features research updates, management tips, and various quail tidings. One of the early favorites is “Sounds a Quail Makes” which features my a capella renditions of various quail whistles. USDA Announces Conservation Reserve Program General Sign-up Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced last Monday that a general sign-up for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) will begin on August 2, 2010 and continue through August 27, 2010. Land currently not enrolled in CRP may be offered in this sign-up provided all eligibility requirements are met. Additionally, current CRP participants with contracts expiring this fall covering about 4.5 million acres may make new contract offers. Contracts awarded under this sign-up are scheduled to become effective Oct. 1, 2010. For more information see http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/newsReleases. Are U a fan of RPQRR or watching us Tweet? Catch us on Facebook . . .We're up to 369 fans and growing; check us out and forward onto your hunting buddies. Go to www.facebook.com/RPQRR or follow us on Twitter @ www.twitter.com/rpqrr. I have tasked my staff with providing latest news and observations as they happen each week. No Facebook or Twitter account is required to access these daily posts. Also check out other resources @ www.quailresearch.org Plant of the Month Kochia (Kochia scoparia) Also known as burningbush or summer cypress, kochia is a common, albeit drab, herb found across most of Texas. It is especially common on disturbed sites (e.g., roadsides). Kochia is regarded as a noxious weed in many regions of the United States, mainly due to its invasive tendencies, resistance to herbicides, and lack of economic benefits to agriculture. Students of Quail are calloused to such ecological ignorance. As I mentioned in the lead article, kochia is a heckuva grasshopper factory, and appears to provide excellent brooding habitat for bobwhite chicks. (See photo of grasshopper and kochia in above section titled "Bug Me")
Seed photo courtesy Steve Hurst @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database.
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Mark Friday, October 1 as the 3rd annual field day at RPQRR. The theme for this year’s gathering is “Axe, Plow, Cow, Fire, and Gun as Tools in Quail Management.” These are the 5 tools identified by conservationist Aldo Leopold in his 1933 class “Game Management.” Last year’s attendance topped 200, and we hope to break 250 this year!
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Q: I am interested in learning how to replenish the quail population on my 83-acre family farm in northern Madison County. It is mostly a hay pasture, with some creek lines and fence lines with attendant trees (oaks, willows, elms, hickory, tallows). Since I am retired now I can put a little effort into bringing the quail back. Can you teach me, or refer me to where I need to go? - MR A: You have a challenge (several probably) in your quail quest. First, you are about 200 miles separated from what I consider to be “current” quail country; although I’ve heard of local bobwhite populations near Huntsville. Second, you mention a hay pasture. Is it native grass or coastal bermudagrass, if the latter then it may require complete overhaul? Do you see or hear quail onsite, or in the vicinity? What does your surrounding landscape look like? Is it mostly bermudagrass, heavy woods, etc? Does your place offer the only quail habitat on the landscape? If so, any success will hinge on increasing the amount of “usable space” for a quail on a larger area. Some folks have had success with building “wildlife management associations”; two of these in your area have focused on quail (see websites below). Here are several websites you may find useful:
Quail have a 2-part stomach: the proventriculus and the ventriculus (“gizzard”). The proventriculus provides chemical digestion (much like a human’s stomach) while the ventriculus handles “mechanical” digestion, i.e., grinding. So, what organ do we have that’s analogous to the quail’s gizzard???? (Answer: our molar teeth)
The Desert QuailMasters class convenes this month in Truth or Consequences, NM to tour two of Ted Turner’s ranches. Most of the tour will be on the Armendaris Ranch on the east side of Elephant Butte Reservoir. The ranch touts a vibrant population of blues (they call’em “scalies” in NM) and Gambel’s quails. The Ladder Ranch to the west of the Interstate also has good numbers of Montezuma quail.
179 That’s the number of Texas horned lizards captured and marked by a team of researchers from the Dallas Zoo in a recent 5-day visit to the RPQRR.
A couple of issues (April 2010) ago I mentioned a "creamy quail" that I'd inspected years ago. I found the picture. It was shot near Dodson (Collingsworth Co.) in December, 1987. [Click Here] to see image. Send your pics of weird quail to me if you want to have them featured here.
Protecting your dogs from rattlesnake bites is a real concern among dog owners. Which of the following do you use to help snake-proof your bird dogs? [Click Here] take the poll.
(That's Meanwhile Back at the Ranch) Summer interns will be heading their respective ways later this month, but not before wrapping up their various projects in preparation of an annual report. GPS-collars will be retrieved from coyotes and raccoons. Advisory Committee meeting set for August 12. |
If you’re swatting mosquitoes, shooing flies from the picnic table, or cursing those dad-blasted fire ants, you may find it difficult to appreciate insects. But for students of quail, turkeys, and most other birds, we must acknowledge, yea even appreciate, the importance of arthropods (of which insects are one group; I refer to the terms “insect”, “arthropod”, and “invertebrate” herein as synonymous. Taxonomists would cringe, but quail aren’t taxonomists!). Such invertebrates are the backbone (pun intended) of the diet of quail chicks, and adults too. 
capture mostly above-ground specimens (e.g., grasshoppers) while pitfall traps (we use plastic 12-oz drink cups recessed into the ground) sample primarily ground-dwelling critters (e.g., beetles).
