Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

A major issue affecting bobwhite quail in southern brush lands and the Rolling Plains regions of Texas is drought.

06 —Long term drought. I’m talking in some areas eight, ten, eleven years now of below average rainfall.

Robert Perez is the upland game bird program leader at TPW. He says the drought is beginning to take its toll on bobwhite.

16—And it’s really caused some declines in the numbers – at least in recent years. So what we hope is things can turn around weather-wise in those areas that are still holding birds, and they will be able to rebound in those areas. And that’s certainly something that we know the species can do.

I asked Robert if there is a threshold at which the birds will not rebound even if we get relief from the drought.

17—I think that you can get there at some point, but in Texas it’s just not very likely to happen any time soon in the Big Country…because the landowner practices and our traditional land uses in some of these areas just lend themselves to quail if mother nature will just cooperate.

Many areas of the state received meaningful rainfall last month. Whether that improves the quail outlook remains to be seen. Meantime, there’s another threat to the well-being of this charismatic game bird.

04—If you’re anywhere eat of I35, then the issue becomes fragmentation.

That’s tomorrow.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series and receives funding from your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motor boat fuel. For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.