September 15, 2003

Bobwhite Quail Initiative Announced
by James L. Cummins

At a recent gathering at Mississippi State University, representatives of national, regional and state conservation agencies and organizations announced the first multi-state initiative designed to restore declining bobwhite quail populations, which have been declining at 3.8% per year.

These population declines have been attributed to the effects of large-scale deterioration of quail habitat quality. Historic quail population levels were a natural by-product of land use and in modern landscapes quail occur only where habitat is created. Restoration of quail populations requires creation and maintenance of early successional plants.

The initiative will help re-establish the popular game bird's numbers throughout the Southeastern United States. The Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation worked with U.S. Senator Thad Cochran and the Natural Resources Conservation Service's (NRCS) Wildlife Habitat Management Institute (WHMI) to establish the initiative. It will be conducted in cooperation with Quail Unlimited and Mississippi State, who has had an active bobwhite quail research program for nearly two decades and continues to conduct studies through its Forest and Wildlife Research Center.

According to U.S. Senator Thad Cochran, "Bobwhite quail populations have been significantly declining over the past three decades. I am pleased that the Senate Appropriations Committee has included language, at my request, to establish the Bobwhite Quail Conservation Initiative. I hope this program will help restore quail populations to historic levels."

Bobwhite populations will greatly benefit from this national initiative. Due to the intense interest in quail throughout its range, the Southeast Quail Technical Committee has been formed and charged with developing a national plan for restoration of quail. This plan has set goals of stabilizing populations in 5 years and restoring populations to 1980 levels in 20 years.

This initiative provides technical assistance and cost share to enhance habitat on private lands. It is primarily directed at providing nesting and brood rearing habitats. The WHMI would develop an evaluation process for the purpose of determining the effectiveness of the effort and to make recommendations. Technical assistance on bobwhite habitat management will be provided. Landowners may receive assistance for establishing and maintaining specific types of early successional habitats through existing conservation programs. Practices that contribute to the enhancement of quail habitat would be incorporated into existing conservation programs. There will be a research project to monitor and establish success.


James L. Cummins is Executive Director of the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation in Stoneville, Mississippi. Known as "Wildlife Mississippi," the Foundation is a non-profit, conservation organization founded to conserve, restore and enhance fish, wildlife and plant resources throughout Mississippi