| Grassland Evaluation Contest Study Guide | Fifth Edition: October 2005 |
| Wildlife Habitat | |
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Wildlife Habitat: Bobwhite Quail & Cottontail Rabbit Missouri has some thirteen million acres of grassland. These acres have the potential to produce hay, pasture, and wildlife habitat if properly managed. In addition to livestock forage, grasslands are important to many wildlife species. The greater prairie chicken, upland sandpiper and meadowlark are open grassland nesters. Species such as rabbit, bobwhite quail, turkey and pheasant prefer to nest in grass when it is near a wooded or brushy area. The management of grasslands to produce both cattle forage and wildlife food and cover is a compatible use of the land. Since livestock are usually confined to the pasture by fences, the forage needs of these animals must be supplied within this area. Wildlife are not confined by fences and may seek out food and cover as required. A grassland (pasture or hayfield) can become a valuable part of the habitat range, however. Rabbits and quail are able to move back and forth through different habitat types found on a farm. They rarely stay in the same type for long periods of time, but require that these habitat components be located close together for safety of movement. Rotational grazing will provide succulent forage for cattle, while allowing some areas to grow undisturbed. While resting, these undisturbed units will serve as wildlife habitat. Vegetation height during the nesting season and through the winter months are critical elements of a grassland management plan. Pastures and hay fields that are isolated from other habitat components are of little value to bobwhite quail. Woody cover for protection, idle fields for nesting, and weed seed and crop residues for food are all important habitat components that must be located close to the grassland. Grazing practices that will improve forage production and value will also benefit wildlife. Legume introduction, proper haying and grazing heights as well as proper haying and grazing dates will improve production as well as wildlife habitat. Quail, for example, use grasslands for nesting, insect gathering, seed gathering, loafing, and roosting. If the grass is too thick (stem density at ground level) quail cannot easily move through it. They prefer clumpy grasses that provide cover from above, but allow easy movement through the grassy vegetation. The native warm-season grasses meet these requirements. Warm-season grasses (big bluestem, Indian grass, switch grass), usually do not grow densely enough to restrict wildlife movement. After nest initiation, grazing will not usually interfere with incubation unless too much cover is removed or the stock density is so high that it causes nest trampling, generally over 2.5 animals/ac. If stock density is higher than this, as it often is in rotation grazing, there must be sufficient residue for nest initiation and time for nest building, egg laying, and incubation before animals return to the paddock. This requires a minimum of 35 days, nearly matching the optimum preferred rest period for native warm-season grasses of 42 to 49 days. A minimum of 8-10 inches of growth should be present in the fall in order for the plant to have been able to rebuild root reserves for over wintering and initiating spring growth. This residual is excellent winter roosting cover and for nesting the next spring. Haying of warm-season grasses, unlike cool-season grasses and alfalfa, usually occurs after the peak of the June hatch, sparing the nest and incubating hen.
Bobwhite quail are best managed on a twenty to forty acre basis. The area is small enough to work with and large enough for a covey of quail. The most obvious quail management is to protect what is there now -- shrubby and woody cover of edges, draws and other "waste areas" which usually occur around a farm. FOOD MANAGEMENT: Food must be available adjacent to escape cover. Birds should be able to walk through good cover to their feeding grounds. An abundance of food is not enough, it must be high- protein and be available. The bobwhite quail diet will vary over the state. In grain producing areas, soybeans are used the most followed by corn, weed seeds, and milo. In other areas quail will rely heavily on weed seed and occasionally some small-grain crop residue when available. Remember, fall plowing will eliminate an important food source if crop residues are turned under. A quail management plan should try to provide the three primary sources of food: 1) crop residues (waste grain and legumes); 2) native weed seeds, grasses, shrub and tree fruits; and 3) special plantings of grain (see Annual Grain Plots, Chapter ten).
IMPORTANT QUAIL FOOD PLANTS INCLUDE: COVER MANAGEMENT: Cover can often be improved simply by fencing livestock out to allow natural plant growth. Maintain scattered patches and travel lanes of dense, brushy cover throughout each forty acres. ESCAPE COVER: This important element can be provided by thickets of dense shrubs (dogwood, plum or blackberries) and the construction of small (10.x10.) brush piles using the limbs of trees cut for firewood, brush thinning, or tree trimming. Several loose piles located next to food production areas are best. Smaller piles may not harbor the foxes and raccoons but give shelter to the rabbits and quail. Consider an area as suitable escape cover if you or the dog can't or don.t want to go through it. NESTING COVER: Is usually unmowed, ungrazed or lightly grazed pastures, hayfields, or field borders in redtop, timothy, orchardgrass, perennial ryegrass, or mixtures of native warm- season grasses with some forbs. They may be maintained by grazing, burning, or discing every few years. ROOSTING COVER: Quail roost in vegetation that is not too dense, but which provides adequate concealment from above. The roost is in rather open, "clumpy" vegetation away from the dense or tangled escape cover. Fields of ragweed, croton, big bluestem or Indian grass are good roosting areas. SUMMARY: Remember that bobwhite quail are seed eaters. They do eat insects during times when they are abundant, but seeds remain the primary food for most of the year. Cover is critical and must be located next to the food. To be effective, cover must be protected from livestock at all times, unless the management plan calls for short periods of grazing to modify vegetative growth. BOBWHITE QUAIL LIFE CYCLE APRIL: Covey breakup occurs. Whistling and pairing begins. MAY: Nesting gets underway. Early attempts are often unsuccessful due to hay cutting, predators, etc. JUNE: Nesting peak is around June 15th. Heavy rainfall and floods at this time can have a detrimental impact on quail populations. JULY: The second hatching peak is usually in mid to late July due to second attempts at nesting. Heavy rains or drought can play a role in hatch success. AUGUST: Late hatches occur, particularly if there were excessive rains in June or July. From 10-20% of the fall population are usually late hatch birds. SEPT: Birds from July hatches become mature enough to enter the fall shuffle. OCT: The quail begin to become habitat selective. They often leave poor (marginal) habitat to find a better situation. NOV: Winter coveys formed. Exception: If percentage of late hatch (Aug.-Sept.) birds is high then weak covey units are formed and hunting is poor. DEC: A generally fair month for quail, unless ice & snow is deep. JAN: Severe weather becomes a factor. Quail will select and concentrate in the best habitat where food sources are rapidly depleted. (Hand-feeding quail not recommended) FEB: Severe weather still a factor. Extended periods of ice or snow cover most harmful. Population losses at this point for any reason (poaching, predators, starvation, etc.) are most harmful. MAR: Food and cover at lowest point of year-adverse weather can still be a factor. Covey breakup begins at the end of the month. COVER SELECTION:
FOOD SELECTION:
The average size Missouri farm (250 acres) has ample room for rabbit management. Under good conditions, the home range of a cottontail is often less than five acres. Rabbits need well-distributed escape cover (brushpiles), an ample year-round food supply, and a safe place for nesting and development of young. Although rabbits drink during hot, dry spells, they can also obtain what water they need from the succulent plants they eat. FOOD MANAGEMENT: Rabbits eat plant foods. Bluegrass is nearly a year-round food, although not heavily used during the summer. Sprouting wheat and grain from corn and milo are important during fall and winter. Cheat, an annual grass, is an important food during early spring. Good summer foods are white clover, Korean lespedeza and crabgrass. These foods must be of high quality and next to good cover for rabbits (see Green Browse Plot, Chapter ten). IMPORTANT RABBIT FOOD PLANTS INCLUDE: Crop residues, Asters, Bluegrass, Chess, Cinquefoil, Clovers, Crabgrass, Dandelion, Fall panic grass, Fleabanes, Horse nettle, Knotweed, Korean lespedeza, Nodding foxtail, Plantains, Poison ivy, Ragweeds, Sedges, Smartweeds, Strawberry, Sumacs, Tall thistle, Tick trefoils, Timothy. COVER MANAGEMENT: Dense, well-distributed protective cover is the most critical element in good rabbit habitat. Brush piles located in the right place bring the quickest response of all the management tools. Rabbits often take over a brush pile the night after construction. Some trees such as locusts will remain alive for several years when "lopped over" or "hinged". If the top is allowed to remain attached to the stump, the twigs and limbs will provide both food and cover. Place brush piles close to other permanent cover, such as briars, fencerows, or woods (see Brush pile construction, Chapter ten). Fencing woodlots, gullies, and pond areas to exclude cattle improves existing cover and allows grass and shrubs to thrive. By protecting fencerows from grazing and by topping some of the larger trees, the resulting growth will be low and dense. Odd or non-agricultural areas allowed to grow sprouts, briars, and brush will provide excellent nesting sites for wildlife. Don't burn brushpiles left from clearing. Push them to the edges of the field for cover. SUMMARY: A rabbit management plan should include as many of the following items as is practical: 1) Dense brush piles--cattle-proof cover, 2) Small grains--oats, wheat, rye, barley, 3) Row crops--corn, milo, soybeans, 4) Green browse--clovers, bluegrass, 5)Native warm season grasses, 6) Weeds--crabgrass, foxtail, ragweed, 7) Fenced woodlots--ungrazed areas.
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