Programs aim to increase quail numbers





Buck Marchinton surveys a strip of natural vegetation alongside a harvested peanut field. STAFF -  ANNE MARIE KYZER

Buck Marchinton surveys a strip of natural vegetation alongside a harvested peanut field. STAFF – ANNE MARIE KYZER

Once upon a time, the clear whistle of a Bobwhite quail could be heard all around Burke County and much of Georgia.

The state was even once known as the Bobwhite Quail Capital of the World.

But since the 1960s, the population has declined by more than 70 percent, according to Buck Marchinton of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

He blames the drop-off mostly on changes in farming practices and sprawling land development, both of which have taken their toll on the quails’ habitat.

Larger fields with less cover along the edges have become the norm and chemicals have eliminated much of the food supply.

Large pine stands managed for timber instead of wildlife compose much of the state’s forestland.

“A thick pine stand is actually a death trap for a quail,” Marchinton said, explaining that the birds are attracted to them but won’t find food or cover there. All hope is not lost for the quail coveys in Georgia, though.

Marchinton spends his days working to grow the population of Bobwhites in Burke and surrounding counties. He partners with landowners to manage habitats.

So far, more than 1,000 acres in Burke County are enrolled in the Bobwhite Quail Initiative (BQI) Marchinton implements.

And it’s working.

Marchinton surveys acres enrolled in the BQI program for birds and does the same on “clean” farmland.

“There’s really no comparison,” he said, noting that fallowed field borders are much more likely to hold quail than clean field edges.

The plants that spring up in the fallowed areas, such as ragweed, partridge pea and beggerwood, supply seeds, attract insects for food and provide cover for coveys and nests. And quail aren’t the only birds to benefit from the habitat creation. Field sparrows, meadowlarks, indigo buntings and other songbirds thrive as well.

Marchinton is constantly looking to add to the list of 11 landowners he currently works with in Burke County.

There’s plenty of incentive to get involved.

Besides the near-guarantee that bird numbers will increase, the state also offers possible financial incentives.

“The more property owners that manage habitats, either through our program or through individual efforts, the better off it will be for the whole county,” Marchinton said.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.