A question for quail experts

feddoc · Mar 12, 2011

I like feeding the quail during the colder months. I hadn't seen them for awhile, but decided to fill up the feeder anyway. That was last night.

This morning I saw no less than 100 of the fat little boogers foraging away.

How do they know..smell? It was kinda neat to see the first half dozen or so. I finished breakfast and the rest had showed up. It's sorta like they have their own comm system.

Compromise, hell! ... If freedom is right and tyranny is wrong, why should those who believe in freedom treat it as if it were a roll of bologna to be bartered a slice at a time?

TOPGUN · Mar 12, 2011

Probably smell and just Mother nature doing her thing! Where do you live and what variety do you have around? I love to watch those Bobwhites raise their heads and bodies straight up and run like the dickens when I'm down in Texas hunting. I watched a covey do what they call "pie up" for the night right near a tower blind I was in as it got dark. They all come together and then back into each other in a circle so all of their heads are facing out and then the whole bunch moves around in unison until they feel comfortable for the night. It was pretty cool watching them do that!

eelgrass · Mar 12, 2011

We have been feeding the quail (CA valley quail) here at our place for about 10 years, year around. They live in the brush around our house. It took awhile but eventually they figured out that there is always feed at the spot we feed them. I think they found it just by chance.

During the non breeding season they're coveyed up. We have a total of 20-30 birds. They show up about an hour after first light and then again right before dark, normally. My wife can actually go out and call them just like chickens. She will scatter food out and here they come. They also like to come in during a hard rain, the harder the better. I guess they feel more secure at that time.

After they pair up in the Spring and the hens are laying it all changes. Pairs will come in all day long. It's a challenge to keep food out for them because of all the other birds, doves, sparrows, jays, etc. If two different pairs show up at the same time there will be a fight between the two males. The hens all get along fine. During that time of year the hens just go about their business and the males follow. She calls all the shots (kind of like a human marriage, lol).

After the eggs hatch the males main job is to be on the look out. He will fly up to a good vantage point and be on guard as the hen and chicks feed below him. Late in the evening after the hens have taken the chicks back to cover the males will come in alone to feed, with no fighting. If something happens to the hen, the male will take over caring for the chicks. He's not very good at it but he tries. Usually all the chicks end up dying, but sometimes one or two chicks survive.

Most of the time they will have 9-12 chicks. That's really too many for the adults to keep track of. I've seen them get seperated and never find their way back. Chicks can't survive a cold night alone. If 6 of the original clutch survive that's a good year, at least around here. If all the chicks die early enough the male and female will have another brood.

feddoc, I hope this wasn't more than you wanted to know.

Eel

TOPGUN · Mar 12, 2011

Good post eel! I think it's our best interest as hutners and outdoorsmen to know as much about nature as possible, contrary to most of the antis that wouldn't know a quail from a pheasant.

feddoc · Mar 12, 2011

Knowledge is a cool thing, thanks Eel.

TOPGUN, I live SE of Reno.

I love watching the little babies go trotting down the road, single file after momma.

Compromise, hell! ... If freedom is right and tyranny is wrong, why should those who believe in freedom treat it as if it were a roll of bologna to be bartered a slice at a time?

nickman · Mar 12, 2011

I feed about a hundred quail all year. Valley quail, occasional chukar and 20 other species.

They seem to have a route as some days there are only about 30 and we may go 2 or 3 days and then the huge group comes back.

I noticed some pairing behavior this morning....maybe it will be warming up soon.

My closest neighbor is about a hundred yards and they don't feed them at all, so I don't know where they eat when not in my yard. I have 10 acres of sage, cheatgrass and other good habitat.

I have bird dogs and several cats....the dogs know they can't mess with them, but the cats will occasionally take one out.

The number one predator we have here is the fricken ravens and crows. They eat the chicks like popcorn!....till I break out the 1300 fps pellet gun.

I built a feeder on the window sill in the kitchen and covered the glass with one way mirrored mylar. I have breakfast 2 feet from the birds everyday. It's a hoot, watching them react with their reflection.

"whackin' a surly bartender ain't much of a crime"

Thunderclapper · Mar 12, 2011

It may be be antiphonal communication (one bird calls or sings the other responds). I don't think quail can smell, very few birds can.

TOPGUN · Mar 12, 2011

Don't know why I didn't think of that, as I know a turkey can't smell. I've always said that if a turkey could smell that you would never shoot one, so what you're saying is probably right! Good thinking thunder!!!

Califelkslayer · Mar 12, 2011

My experience is similiar to EEL's.

But i think cats take more quail around my place than anything else. I have a lot of tall sage and bitterbrush so maybe that's why the ravens and jays aren't as effective.

I read somewhere that house cats kill over a billion birds worldwide every year and I believe it.

My first year in this house 20+ years ago I had a huge pile of fire wood behind the house. About mid-June I had a covey of quail would visit it every day. Momma, daddy and 12 chicks. The next day 11 chicks, the next day 10, etc. When it got to 8 I realized a feral cat had had kittens in the same wood pile. After eliminating the cat/kittens, 6 of the quail made it to fall.

I spread grain when I feed the horses when there is snow on the ground, hopefully helping the quail get through hard times. The rest of the year I let my horse trough overflow so they can water. Kinda kool to see the little buggers. And although I shoot quite a few quail some years, the only thing I hunt on my property is doves since they migrate. And my son took his first deer on it too.

Alex · Mar 13, 2011

I feed quail year round too. I have a few feeders for the smaller birds and put out seed blocks for the quail. Right now it is pretty quite, usually have 30 - 40 birds, heard two lone males this morning, and that is it. Maybe the "couples" are busy doing their thing.

I don't have a cat problem but a hawk keeps my quail on guard at all times, he gets lucky a couple times a week. Though the hawks aren't too picky, they will take doves and what I call "Arizona Doves" not sure that is their real name. Also when there are chicks around the road runners seem to take them all.

They are fun to watch but it kinda like having chickens with their scatching, even with having water for them they have been known to scratch so much they expose the roots on some of my bushes. It's fixable and worth it.

Alex

Gator · Mar 13, 2011

We put out feeders for them in several area's to help them thru the winter and to give them a good start in the spring for laying eggs and raising chicks. At one feeder we have seen up to 200 of them show up, don't take them long to empty that feeder.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".

brownie · Mar 14, 2011

We feed them to. The California Valley variety, it's amazing how they know when the feed is out there. I've got a Colorado Blue Spruce in my back yard that my wife wants me to take out, last night, about forty five birds flew in to nest for the night. So now I've got a war going on with her about the tree, I told her it has to stay now, she said they'll find another tree to roost in. I told her if those quail made it through the hunting season, with Dale Miller on their a--, they deserve to live in that tree, so I'm not cutting it down now. Those little birds are a kick to watch. With all the moisture we've had here in the Owens Valley it looks to be another banner hatch.

Thanks

Brownie

eelgrass · Mar 14, 2011

It's nice to hear about all the folks feeding the quail.

One year one of our chicks grew to maturity. It was a male and he had a couple tail feathers that were snow white. It made him easily identifilable. We kept track of him and he was here for 4 1/2 years. He disappeared and we assume he died. I don't know if that's close to an average age or not, but an interesting observation.

Eel

nickman · Mar 14, 2011

LOL, Brownie!.....

"whackin' a surly bartender ain't much of a crime"

Gator · Mar 15, 2011

I have a couple of those tall evergreens (35')that they roost in it funny watching them "land" in them it like a control crash to hit a little hole to get into the inside of that tree for the night.They sure aren't hummingbirds. LOL

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".