Quail of Texas

The following information has been copied from The Great Backyard Bird Count webpage.

Northern Bobwhite, Colinus virginianus

Northern Bobwhite by David Sibley

  • Habitat: Brushy pastures, grassy roadsides, farmlands and open woodlands.
  • Population Trend: Northern Bobwhite have been declining by almost 3% annually throughout their range since 1966, as shown by the red areas in the Breeding Bird Survey map below. Data from the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) and Christmas Bird Count (CBC) show a very similar declining trend (below right).

Northern Bobwhite's Population Trend

Scaled Quail, Callipepla squamata

  • Scaled Quail by David SibleyHabitat: Dry grasslands and brushy deserts.
  • Population Trend: Scaled Quail are declining by 2.4% annually throughout their range, as shown by the red areas in the Breeding Bird Survey map below. Data from the BBS and CBC are closely matched for this species as well (below right).

Scaled Quail Population Trend

Gambel’s Quail, Callipepla gambelii

Gambel’s Quail by David Sibley

  • Habitat: Desert thickets and arid country.
  • Population Trend: Although Gambel’s Quail are decreasing in certain areas, overall their numbers seem to be increasing or staying level.

Gambel Quail Population Trend

Montezuma Quail, Cyrtonyx montezumae

Montezuma Quail pair by David Sibley

  • Habitat: Grassy and brush-covered ground in pine-oak woodlands.
  • Population Trend: The status of Montezuma Quail cannot be accurately assessed using BBS or CBC data.