Habitat use by endangered masked bobwhites and other quail on the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona

Abstract

Masked bobwhites used sites with more structural diversity than what was available on the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge during 1994-96. Selected habitat variables that adequately predicted habitat use by masked bobwhites included percent herbaceous canopy cover, structure at 15 cm and 2 m, forb richness, and season. Masked bobwhite used more structural diversity than Gambel's and scaled quail. Gambel's quail had broader habitat tolerances than either masked bobwhite or scaled quail. Selected habitat variables that revealed differences among masked bobwhites, Gambel's quail, and scaled quail included percent woody canopy cover, structure at 15 cm, forb richness, and season. A historic perspective revealed that masked bobwhites used sacaton grasses that grew along the floodplains as important escape cover. I believe that we need to restore the integrity of the grassland ecosystems including the floodplain if we are to recover masked bobwhite quail.