Effect of Prescribed Fire on Bobwhite Quail Habitat in the Rolling Plains of Texas

Abstract

Bobwhite quail preferred lotebush as loafing cover over all other woody plants, although honey mesquite was also used during summer months. Most (88.3%) lotebushes on the study area were resprouts of burned plants. During the first 5 to 6 years after burning, quail used large lotebushes that had escaped fire or were partially defoliated. Following fire, only 3.9 lotebushes/ha were available as cover for quail. Little covey movement was observed between seasons, indicating yearlong cover requirements were being met within a fairly small area. Before burning large pastures, at least 10 large honey mesquite and 4 large lotebushes per hectare in each primary rest area should be ringed with 7-m firebreaks to insure adequate cover for quail.