[mou] Northern Bobwhite

[Robert_Russell@fws.gov]

Just a couple of points about Northern Bobwhites that haven't been brought
out in recent discussions.  Everyone should read Tony Hertzel's fine,
well-researched article in The Loon recently on the subject.  Taking a
regional perspective, it is interesting to note that the Wisconsin Breeding
Bird Atlas shows a major concentration of quail in SW WI.  One of the nodes
of concentration is in Crawford County with probable breeding as close as
15 miles SE of the MN border.  Even closer are areas in Vernon County west
of Viroqua with a confirmed breeding less than 10 miles east of Reno,
Houston County.  Quail continue to flourish in the Kickapoo Valley east of
Viroqua where native populations have been known for many decades.  This
area is some 25-30 miles east of Houston Co., MN.   There is even a small
concentration of quail in the Pepin-Eau Claire-Dunn County area some 60-80
miles ESE of the Twin Cities.  In fact, Wisconsin was one of two states to
show an increasing trend in quail on Breeding Bird Survey routes in recent
years (Nebraska the other).  Another point is that populations exist in all
species of northern breeding gallinaceous birds (except maybe spruce
grouse) that show a tendency to migrate or at least make seasonal movements
to food sources.  A scenario where occasional Wisconsin birds might
occasionally wander into Minnesota is pretty easy to picture.  Gray
Partridge seem able to repopulate areas of SE MN and SW WI after wet
periods depress their numbers.  Seems like an expanding population of
Bobwhite from WI may occasionally expand into MN.  Questions like this
about uncommon species could be well answered by a breeding bird atlas!!

Bob Russell