WY Northern Bobwhite Hunting Guide

Also known as: Bobwhite quail

The northern bobwhite, also known as the Virginia quail or bobwhite quail, is a ground-dwelling bird native to Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Cuba, with introduced populations elsewhere in the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. It is a member of the group of species known as New World quail (Odontophoridae). They were initially placed with the Old World quail in the pheasant family (Phasianidae), but are not particularly closely related. The name "bobwhite" is an onomatopoeic derivation from its characteristic whistling call. Despite its secretive nature, the northern bobwhite is one of the most familiar quails in eastern North America, because it is frequently the only quail in its range. Habitat degradation has contributed to the northern bobwhite population in eastern North America declining by roughly 85% from 1966 to 2014. This population decline is apparently range-wide and continuing.

Habitat & Range

The northern bobwhite can be found year-round in agricultural fields, grassland, open woodland areas, roadsides and wood edges. Its range covers the southeastern quadrant of the United States from theGreat Lakesand southern Minnesota east to New York State and southern Massachusetts, and extending west to southern Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado front-range foothills to 7,000 feet, and all but westernmostTexas. It is absent from the southern tip of Florida (where the extinct Key West bobwhite subspecies once lived) and the highest elevations of theAppalachian Mountains, but occurs in eastern Mexico and in Cuba, and has been introduced toHispaniola(both the Dominican Republic and Haiti), the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands (formerly), Puerto Rico, France, China, Portugal, and Italy. Isolated populations also have been introduced in the US states of Oregon and Washington. The northern bobwhite has also beenintroducedto New Zealand.[16] There is no self-sustaining population in Pennsylvania, where the bird is consideredextirpated;[17]it is also considered extirpated in the states of New Hampshire[18]and Connecticut.[19]Its distribution in New York has been limited toSuffolkandNassau CountiesonLong Island, as well as potential population pockets inUpstate New York. The bird is considered declining or extirpated throughout much of theNortheastern United States.[20]Similarly, the bird is almost extirpated from Ontario (andCanadaas a whole), with the only self-sustaining population confirmed to exist recorded onWalpole Island.[2]

Life History

Tetrao virginianusLinnaeus, 1758; Ortyx virginianaJardine, 1834[3] Thenorthern bobwhite(Colinus virginianus), also known as theVirginia quailor (in itshome range)bobwhite quail, is a ground-dwellingbirdnative to Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Cuba, with introduced populations elsewhere in the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. It is a member of the group of species known asNew World quail(Odontophoridae). They were initially placed with the Old World quail in the pheasantfamily(Phasianidae), but are not particularly closely related. The name "bobwhite" is anonomatopoeicderivation from its characteristic whistling call. Despite its secretive nature, the northern bobwhite is one of the most familiar quails in eastern North America, because it is frequently the only quail in its range. Habitat degradation has contributed to the northern bobwhite population in eastern North America declining by roughly 85% from 1966 to 2014.[4]This population decline is apparently range-wide and continuing.[5][6] There are 20subspeciesof northern bobwhite, many of which are hunted extensively asgame birds. One subspecies, the masked bobwhite (Colinus virginianus ridgwayi), is listed as critically endangered[7]with wild populations located in the northern Mexican state ofSonoraand a reintroduced population inBuenos Aires National Wildlife Refugeinsouthern Arizona. The northern bobwhite is a moderately-sizedquail, and is the only small galliform native to eastern North America. The bobwhite can range from 24 to 28 cm (9.4 to 11.0 in) in length with a 33 to 38 cm (13 to 15 in) wingspan. As indicated by body mass, weights increase in birds found further north, as corresponds toBergmann's rule. In Mexico, northern bobwhites weigh from 129 to 159 g (4.6 to 5.6 oz) whereas in the north they average 170 to 173 g (6.0 to 6.1 oz) and large males can attain as much as 255 g (9.0 oz).[13][14]Among standard measurements, thewing chordis 9.7 to 11.7 cm (3.8 to 4.6 in), thetailis 5 to 6.8 cm (2.0 to 2.7 in) theculmenis 1.3 to 1.6 cm (0.51 to 0.63 in) and thetarsusis 2.7 to 3.3 cm (1.1 to 1.3 in).[15]It has the typical chunky, rounded shape of a quail. The bill is short, curved and brown-black in color. This species issexually dimorphic. Males have a white throat and brow stripe bordered by black. The overall rufous plumage has gray mottling on the wings, white scalloped stripes on the flanks, and black scallops on the whitish underparts. The tail is gray. The clear whistle "bob-WHITE" or "bob-bob-WHITE" call is very recognizable. The syllables are slow and widely spaced, rising in pitch a full octave from beginning to end. Other calls includelisps, peeps, and more rapidly whistled warning calls. Like most game birds, the northern bobwhite is shy and elusive. When threatened, it will crouch and freeze, relying on camouflage to stay undetected, but will flush into low flight if closely disturbed. It is generally solitary or paired early in the year, but family groups are common in the late summer and winter roosts may have two dozen or more birds in a single covey.[21]

Status, Trends & Threats

The northern bobwhite is rated as aNear-threatened speciesby theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature.[43]The northern bobwhite is threatened across its range due tohabitat lossand habitat degradation. Changing land use patterns and changingfire regimeshave caused once prime habitat to become unfavorable for the bobwhite.

Hunting Season

Typically Oct-Dec. Check current WGFD upland game bird regulations.

References

• Wyoming — Northern Bobwhite