Riverby Ranch Mitigation Site Quail Monitoring Effort

Background:

Restoration efforts on the Riverby Ranch Mitigation Site in Fannin County, Texas have provided a safe haven for over 200 species of birds, including a variety of grassland species that are currently experiencing steep population declines such as Dickcissels (Spiza Americana), Bell’s Vireo (Vireo bellii), and Grasshopper Sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum) (Crosby et al. 2015). One such species, the Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus), otherwise referred to as “quail” or “bobwhite”, occupies a particularly valuable ecological and economic niche in this region of Texas, acting as an umbrella species for grassland bird communities and as a popular game bird and important source of income for rural communities (Crosby et al., 2015; James et al., 2015).

Between 1966 and 2012, bobwhites experienced an approximate 4% decrease in population annually due largely to habitat loss and degradation through urbanization, unchecked forest encroachment and the replacement of native grassland with monocultured crops or invasive species (Jenke & Gates, 2013; Downey et. al, 2017). The restoration efforts on Riverby Ranch, resulting in the reestablishment of historical grassland, upland deciduous forest, and wetland communities have aimed to provide habitat for a variety of native species affected by these disturbances. As Northern Bobwhites act as an umbrella species in grassland communities, restoration of quail habitat will ultimately benefit other grassland birds who are otherwise facing population declines (Crosby et al. 2015).

In order to determine the efficacy of restoration efforts on the population of bobwhite quail on the ranch, annual spring call counts, as well as various other bird survey methods, have been implemented since 2021. Previous bird surveys as well as encounters by ranch staff and visitors have confirmed the presence of Northern Bobwhites on the ranch, although in varying numbers.

Continuing the annual monitoring of quail populations on the ranch, this spring count call was conducted in May of 2023 following the end of construction efforts by Resource Environmental Solutions, LLC (RES) to reestablish previously degraded habitat in the summer of 2022. It is predicted that as reestablished grassland communities are allowed to recover, increased quail habitat will increase the abundance of quail found on the property.

Results & Future Recommendations:

The 2023 call count saw an increase in quail abundance and general avian species richness from 2022. While this alone is not enough to claim that restoration efforts are entirely behind the change, further consistent monitoring efforts over time may give more answers as to whether the site is properly managed for the formation and long-term sustainability of quail populations. As the newly established communities are allowed to grow undisturbed after the end of construction efforts in 2022, more suitable quail habitat should follow, allowing for a stable population to reside on Riverby Ranch. Further analysis and surveys of habitat and vegetation alongside monitoring efforts could prove useful in devising management plans to produce and maintain premium Northern Bobwhite habitat.