Re-nesters, as hens may lay a second and third clutch of eggs if the others are destroyed. Nest disturbance and predation, along with bad weather and other variables, can contribute to nesting failure rates as high as 60 to 70 percent. Mated pairs stay together for the entire brood rearing and nesting season, which can begin in April and last until September. The males also contribute to incubation chores, often sitting on the eggs while the hen is away feeding. This large clutch size is the main reason that bobwhites often rebound dramatically after population lows. The averageĬlutch size is 12-14 eggs, with 10-12 of them usually hatching. The hen locates her nest along field edges, brushy fencerows, and old fields with weeds and grasses. Rabbits, cardinals, towhees, brown thrashers, easternīluebirds, field and song sparrows, and many other grassland and shrub-inhabiting Habitat developed for quail will also be of value to However, they can often be heard as their song is a distinct whistle which seems to say bob-WHITE. They are relatively inconspicuous birds, spending most of their life in concealingĬover. Southern Michigan landowners with 20 or more acres and who provide the right mix of habitat can expect to enjoy bobwhite quail on their property. Populations often fluctuate, sometimes dramatically, with the severity of winter. Habitat provides a mix of quality nesting andīrood areas, winter shelter, and a year-round food source. They also require a good amount of cropland as a food source. Creatures of the edge, bobwhites prefer grasslands and early successional habitats containing brush and young trees. Michigan is on the northern fringe of the bobwhite quails range.
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