How to Find and Identify a Bobwhite Quail

A covey of quail

The bobwhite quail is one of the most popular birds in America. Many people get great pleasure from seeing a group of these game birds come walking out of the woods and into their yard. Having numbered as many as 40 million in this nation just 50 years ago, the bobwhite has seen its numbers drop in recent years. Here's how to get a glimpse of the ones that are still here.

Instructions

1. Look on the ground, not in the trees or the sky. Bobwhite quail are ground feeders, and spend most of their waking hours in search of a meal that consists mainly of the seeds of weeds and crops. The bobwhite quail has a range from southern Ontario to Mexico, and lives as far west as states like Wyoming and Minnesota. Bobwhites can reside in a number of different habitats, including old open fields, pastures, cut-down woodlands and places where power lines have been put up.

2. Look for the dark cap stripe. The bobwhite has distinctive markings on its head. The males have a black stripe that extends beyond the eyes, between two borders of white. The female’s eye stripe is brownish. Both genders are brown with black and white speckles over the majority of the body, which can only be described as “plump.” The bobwhite quail is the size of a small chicken.

3. Listen for the sound of “Bob-bob-white.” In the spring and the summertime, the males especially use this call, which is sent out as a ringing whistle-like tone. It is unmistakable, and a sign of springtime in many states. If you can follow the voice and the quail flushes from cover, you may spot the bird. If it sits still on the ground, you have no chance, as its protective coloring will keep you from seeing it against the background of leaves.

4. From October to April, watch for a covey of quail. They like to band together in little troops that can number as many as 30. They will descend on bird feeders looking for fallen seeds and scatter in every direction when disturbed. The females will also have their little bobwhite chicks following them, one right after the other, in search of food.

5. Leave the borders of your fields untouched. If you happen to own land and have open fields, the bobwhite can be attracted to your acreage if you leave these areas between the woods and the fields unmowed. Let rights-of-way and field edges grow into what can be cover for a quail. The bobwhite has declined in population in the northeast due to the loss of its natural habitat. It is still plentiful in the southern states--though it is hunted extensively there, as it is one of the tastiest of all birds.