Animalia Life

Colinus virginianus
TAXONOMY
Tetrao virginianus Linnaeus, 1758, America (=South Carolina). Twenty-two subspecies.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Bobwhite, northern bobwhite; French: Colin de virginie; German: Baumwachtel, Virginiawachtel, Wachtel; Spanish: Codorniz; Colнn de virginia.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Among the smaller Galliformes ranging in length from 8 to 10 in (20–25 cm) and 4 to 8 oz (129–233 g) in weight. Largest birds are found in the northern part of the range and the smallest in southern Mexico. Females are slightly smaller than males. Quite variable male plumage usually contains a combination of black, gray, and white. Males of the virginianus group usually have a white throat, as do the birds in the graysoni and pectoralis groups. Graysoni males tend to be more rufous col- Resident Odontophorus columbianus Resident Colinus virginianus ored; whereas the pectoralis males tend to look most like the virginianus group, except the black collar is wider and more streaky on breast. Males of the coyolcos group have a solid black head and throat. In females, the head and throat are mostly buff. The black parts of the head tend to be more chestnut in color.
DISTRIBUTION
Widespread
DISTRIBUTION
ranging from southern New England west through southern Ontario, Canada to southeastern Minnesota. The
DISTRIBUTION
continues southward to Florida in the east and extreme eastern Wyoming, western Kansas, and Oklahoma southward to Mexico in the west. There is a disjunct population in Sonora, Mexico and formerly Arizona. Restoration efforts are underway in Arizona. In Mexico, this species is found in the northeast state of Tamaulipas southward to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. In central Mexico it reaches further west and in the south reaches the Pacific Ocean. It is replaced by the black-throated bobwhite (C. v. nigrogularis) on the Yucatan Peninsula.
DISTRIBUTION
just reaches Guatemala. Introduced populations are found on many Caribbean Islands, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, British Columbia, New Zealand, Italy, and Germany.
HABITAT
Found in a variety of habitats as long as some type of early successional habitat is present. Most closely associated with fire maintained pine savannas and forest openings or clearcuts in typically forested areas. Now most often found in farmland in those regions. Highest populations are found in grass and brush rangelands except where these are intensively managed for livestock. In the southeastern United States, best populations are found on “plantations” comprised of pine savanna ecosystems in southern Georgia and northern Florida. These areas have actually been maintained and managed for quail.
BEHAVIOR
General
BEHAVIOR
as in the family description. After the breeding season the birds go through an autumn “shuffle” to form larger coveys. This is time of greatest movement and some birds have been found to travel upwards of 60 mi (100 km). Home range sizes vary greatly. In better habitat might be 25–62 acres (10–25 ha) and much larger in poorer habitat.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Very well studied in this species. Shown to be primarily a seed eater with a wide range of seeds taken—a summary of studies identified 650 different types of seeds taken and 78 species that seemed to be more important. The types of seeds taken varies greatly with season and seems to be most related to seed abundance. Bobwhites will also take a variety of fruits and even large items such as oak (Quercus spp.) acorns. Chicks are primarily insectivorous, but begin consuming mainly seeds by six to eight weeks of age.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
The bobwhite quail was traditionally thought by lay people and scientists to form monogamous pairs with a great deal of parental care given by the males. More recent research is suggesting a much more complex social system where some individuals might be monogamous, but others are polygamous, including both polygyny and polyandry, and others appear to be promiscuous. Research is underway to try to clarify the bobwhite’s mating system. Unmated males give the “bob-white” call, which is a familiar spring call to anyone living within the
DISTRIBUTION
of this species. Pair formation is common, starting from January to March in the United States, with more northerly population beginning later. Like all the New World quails nests are built in a shallow depression on the ground, usually in dead grasses or other herbaceous vegetation. Clutch size averages 12–14 eggs, but ranges from seven to 28. Incubation is 23–24 days. The chicks are precocial and will leave the nest with the adults within hours of hatching. They can fly within two weeks. Mortality of nests, young, and adults is high. Hatching success ranges widely, but often from 20 to 40%. Hens are persistent renesters. Chick survival has been reported at 31% to one month of age. Annual survival is typically less than 30% and often less than 20%.
CONSERVATION STATUS
The species is widespread and common. However, there have been significant declines in populations throughout the eastern United States. This is thought to be due to a combination of farmland abandonment and reforestation, loss of fire maintained pine savannas, and intensification of remaining agriculture. In many parts of the East, populations have declined by 70–90%, since the 1960s. Populations are less well know in Mexico. One subspecies, the masked bobwhite, which inhabits scrubland in Sonora, Mexico and formerly Arizona, is considered Endangered in the United States. Because of its importance as a harvested gamebird, there are management programs in several parts of its
DISTRIBUTION
to try to restore numbers.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
This species is one of the most important Galliformes. It is widely hunted and reared for human consumption. Large amounts of money are spent for its conservation for hunting. In some areas of the Southern Plains management of rangeland has shifted to emphasizing bobwhite by using livestock because hunting has become more lucrative than raising livestock.

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