Upland Game Birds and other Land Bird Species Common to Texas

Dr. Doug Ullrich

This presentation follows “The Upland Game Bird Management Handbook for Texas Landowners”http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_rp_w7000_1558.pdf

For detailed information on birds see: www.allaboutbirds.org

Texas Game Birds Northern Bobwhite Quail Scaled Quail Gambel’s Quail Montezuma Quail Eastern Wild Turkey Rio Grande Wild Turkey Lesser Prairie Chicken Plain Chachalaca Ring-Neck Pheasant

Bobwhite Quail Colinus virginianus (pg 5)

Post popular and abundant quail in Texas Adults-10 to 11 inches in length Wingspan-14 to 15 inches Weight-5 to 6 ounces Habitat – mixed brush &

grasslands Range – most of Texas

Bobwhite Quail Wide-ranging Prefers abandoned

farms fields, brushy cover

Widely hunted Life expectancy >1

year

Mating Usually form a weak pairing bond Hens not always faithful to roosters and vice

versa. Rooster or Hen can incubate eggs-not shared The parent not incubating will leave the nest

in search of another mate Hens can nest up to three times

Nesting Begins about 2 weeks after pairing and

may last until August Most nesting occurs through May and early

June About 12-15 eggs per clutch Incubation about 21-23 days

Nesting Cont… Young leave nest as soon as down dries

and after a couple weeks they began to fly around

Quail mature from 14-16 weeks of age and stay in coveys until April when they pair off for mating

Mortality Rate

High Mortality Rate 70-80 percent turnover annually is not uncommon Causes-food shortage, cold, weather, predators,

disease Fire ants have been blamed for high mortality

rates Life span 4-5 yrs but expectancy is less than 1

Habitat Requirements Food, Cover and Space

Food-about 15% animal matter and 85% plant matter

Predominantly insects-beetles, weevils, caterpillars, and crickets

Young feed exclusively on insects

Food Cont… Plant matter

Seeds, fruits, but some green vegetation is consumed.

Smooth, hard seed-croton, ragweed, and partridge pea

Agricultural crops such as: corn, grain sorghum, legumes, soybeans, and other small grains

Cover Edge animals and also prefer early stage

vegetation They occupy idle fields, open woodland,

crop fields that have weedy edges, and some pastures

Necessary requirements-loafing, escape, and protective cover near dusting and feeding areas

Cover [cont.] Resting cover utilized in the day periodically

between feeding Low growing woody plants provide resting

cover away from predators such as Hawks and need not be more than 200 to 300 feet apart

Nest location is near edge of rough grass Fence rows are favorites amongst quail

Problem for quail

Cover [cont] Escape cover-shrub thickets needed on

about every 15 acres Roosting cover-needs too provide warmth

at ground level but not restrict flight Birds roost in a circle, their heads look

outwards and tails are positioned inward

Water Water is typically not a factor when

dealing with quail management Usually obtain water through food or dew

on plants However, some present day managers are

constructing watersheds or trickle systems to attract soft bodied insects for quail consumption

Space The range of a covey is generally confined

to ¼ square mile and seldom exceeds a full square mile.

The closer together Food, Cover, and Water the smaller the home range

Proper management can result in maximum carrying capacities of >3 per acre

Management-Habitat Needs can be met with range management

practices Grazing management will likely be need to

maintain low growing weeds and brush Brush management must be used as well

because quail are not adapted to dense stands of brush

Burning is one possible answer to this problem and will also promote new growth

Management-Population Regardless of hunted or non hunted lands,

theses areas still display the same mortality rate of 70-80%

These numbers fluctuate widely due to the simple fact that quail are so sensitive to their environment

Hunting of these birds takes place to cull “surplus” birds that would otherwise be lost during the cold winter season

Non-biological Practices Leave crop residue on surface rather than

disking, will allows the plants to leave grain on the surface during the fall and winter when food for quail is scarce

Delay mowing around the edges of fields until mid summer to prevent nest disturbance

Leave fence row, with only occasional thinning

Prescribe Burning-promote new growth

Scaled Quail Callipepla Squamata

Common names-Blue Quail and Cotton top Two sub species in Texas-Arizona form and the

Chestnut-bellied Arizona form inhabits-Trans-Pecos, West Central,

and Panhandle Chestnut form inhabits-South Texas Coloration and markings similar but Chestnut is

darker with a chestnut colored belly patch, and Scaled quail are only slightly larger than bob whites

Scaled Quail / Blue QuailCallipepla squamata

Habitat Western 1/3rd of Texas

Known to run from danger

Different flight patterns than Bobwhite Quail

Habitat for Scaled Quail Dry brushy rangelands-they need open

space to run quickly Seldom fly unless pressured Nest in clumps of grass or bushes Clutch size of about 12 Incubation period is about 21 days Incubation fluctuates due to rainfall

Food Mostly seeds, but will eat insects Croton, mesquite, bristle grass, and millets Frequently eat grass hoppers, beetles, and

other insects of similar form Available water is limiting factor

Scaled Quail Management Occur in arid rangelands of Texas with

limited livestock carrying capacities Prescribed burning to control junipers Disking, food plots, and cover are not

typically constructed for these birds due to unreliable rainfall

These quail are adapted to natural rangelands

Gambel’s Quail Callipepla gambelii

Homeland-Extreme West Texas Dry desert-like shrub lands Black belly patch Black face bordered with white strips Teardrop-shaped topknot near front of the

head Has a three slurred call

Gambel’s Quail Callipepla gambelii

Gambel’s Quail Callipepla gambelii

Average length is 11 inches with a wingspan of 14-16 inches.

Diet consists primarily of plant matter & seeds. Primarily move about by walking, and can

move surprisingly fast through brush and undergrowth.

Gambel’s Quail Callipepla gambelii

They are a non-migratory species and are rarely seen in flight.

Any flight is usually short and explosive, with many rapid wingbeats followed by a slow glide to the ground.

These birds have relatively short, rounded wings and long, featherless legs.

Gambel’s Quail Callipepla gambelii

In the late summer, fall and winter, the adults and immature young congregate into coveys of many birds.

In the spring, they pair off for mating and become very aggressive toward other pairs.

Chicks more insectivorous than adults and gradually consume more plant matter as they mature.

Gambel’s Quail Callipepla gambelii

Monogamous and rarely breed in colonies. Female typically lays 10-15 eggs in a

simple scrape concealed in vegetation, often at the base of a rock or tree.

Incubation lasts from 21-24 days, usually performed by the female and rarely by the male.

Gambel’s Quail Callipepla gambelii

Chicks are precocial leaving the nest within hours of hatching.

Precocial - young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching.

Male

Female

Montezuma Quail or Mearns Cytonyx Montezuma

No open hunting season Also called the Montezuma

quail Lives in far West Texas Striking harlequin /

clowns face color pattern

Montezuma Quail or Mearns Cytonyx Montezuma

Sometimes confused with the African Harlequin

Nesting does not start till July or August, the season of "monsoon" rains throughout its range.

The long delay between pairing and nesting is unusual for quails.

Montezuma Quail or Mearns Cytonyx Montezuma

The nest is also unusual: a grass dome with one entrance, more elaborate than most nests in the family.

The clutch comprises about 11 eggs (ranging from 6 to 12), which are "whitish or chalky”

Incubation lasts about 25 days (two days longer than that of most American quail).

Turkey Two main subspecies found in Texas

Eastern Turkey

Rio Grande Turkey

Eastern Wild TurkeyMelegaris galloavo silvestris

Found in deciduous or pine forests of east Texas

Range is expanding with TPWD and Wild Turkey Federation efforts

Rio Grande TurkeyMeleagris gallopavo intermedia

Lighter color than Easter Turkey

Inhabits riparian areas and mesquite and scrub oak forests

Widely range across Texas except East Texas and far West texas

Turkey - Description Largest game bird native to US forests Adapt to running and flying; They do not fly very long distances Rio Grande is most abundant and largely

distributed, occupying a 400 mile east to west band in the central part of Texas

The Eastern Wild Turkey lives in humid forests of east Texas

Turkey - History

Wild Turkeys were found every before the European immigrants settled in the states

Thorough land clearing and extensive hunting almost eradicated these birds from the eastern forests in the early 1900’s

Restoration programs within the last 10 years are on the rise and the future looks bright for the Turkey

Turkey - Characteristics Large, long-legged bird, but trimmer than the

domestic turkey Gobblers (adult males) weigh between 12 and

20 pounds and have spurs on their legs, beards, and dark iridescent plumage on their breast.

Hens (Females) weigh anywhere from 8-12 pounds and are less iridescent. They may have a smaller beard or may not have one at all

Turkey - Characteristics [cont] Prefer walking rather than flying Can run up to 15 mph and can fly up to 40

mph if necessary Tracks

Gobblers are larger than hens Droppings-gobblers are larger and more

elongated Hens droppings are spiral and resemble popcorn

Turkey - Mating Habits Turkey are promiscuous Mating begins in the spring, but gobbler does

not establish a strict territory, but drives other Toms out of “his territory”

Gobbler’s strut, to announce their local superiority and simultaneously attracting his harem (3-10 hens) per gobbler.

Each female breeds only once each spring, and will isolate her self from to tend to her clutch

Turkey - Nests Nests are constructed on the ground and are made of

leaves, straws, and grass -- Built on top of tall grasses and vegetation

Clutch is 8-26 eggs and takes 28 days of incubation for hatching -- If interrupted re-nesting is almost always unsuccessful

Once all are hatched, they are led away by the hen Poults begin roosting in trees at just two weeks and

can fly at just 10 days Predation is high during this period

Turkey Habitat Needs

Turkeys are opportunistic feeders In spring main food sources are green grasses,

forbs, buds, flowers, seed and insects Poult diets during the first two weeks is 90%

insects Fall and Winter feeds include; seed, green

grasses, forb shoots, acorns, and agricultural crops

Turkey - Cover Roosting sites require mature timber and

shelter from bad weather Escape Cover-big brush, timer stands, dense

grassy fields, and thickets Ideal cover is a diversity of mixed timber and

openings. Turkeys need the timber for roosting and to

conceal AND openings for feeding are also needed.

Turkey - Water

Turkey must have water daily, but for short terms can obtain water from plants and insects.

Prefer to roost near water sources Proper nesting space should have running

water within 400 feet of the nest

Turkey - Space The yearly range of Turkey is usually 8-10

miles, from winter roost sites to summer nesting sites (about 20,000 acres)

Birds are extremely sensitive to human disturbances, and they should not be hunted or tampered with within a quarter mile of their roost or nest

Turkey - Habitat Management The biggest problem with Turkey is that they

move around so much. Landowners can make conditions favorable

so that turkey are more likely to come to the area and stay there longer

Range characteristics such as size, shape, plant species composition and density affect turkey habitat

Turkey - Habitat Management [cont]

Maintaining openings will enhance turkey habitat.

This area needs to contain 10-50 percent openings scattered around.

These need to be less than 20 acres and should be shaped for maximum edge effect to limit long movements of hens with broods

Habitat - Management Cont…

Supplemental food planting and watering sites enhance turkey habitat.

Plantings need to simulate natural food in order to draw Turkeys in to a foreign area

Legume planting is great for birds in the winter and spring, and small grain crops in the summer

Turkey - Non-biological Practices Several soil and water conservation practices

that can benefit Turkey Proper Grazing Brush Management Prescribed Burning Protecting certain trees and shrubs

Lesser Prairie ChickenTympanuchus pallidicinctus

Upland, grassland-nesting bird found in Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas.

Best know for courtship displays and “gobbling”grounds

Highly social animal

Lesser Prairie Chicken

Lesser Prairie Chicken - Habitat

Native rangeland in different stages of plant succession with a diversity of native, short- to mid-height grasses and forbs interspersed with low-growing shrubby cover

Sand sagebrush communities dominated by sand dropseed side oats grama, little bluestem and shinnery oak make up the most preferred habitat

Lesser Prairie Chicken Display grounds, or leks, are established in open areas of

low-growing vegetation and generally are located within or close to grassland nesting cover.

Adequate cover is among the greatest factors affecting lesser prairie-chicken populations, and the continued loss of shrub/grassland habitat remains the greatest threat to the lesser prairie chicken’s future.

See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHuYt_Wx9yQ

Lesser Prairie Chicken Diet consists of insects, seeds, and leaves, catkins,

and buds of forbs (broad-leaved plants) and cultivated crops.

Juveniles less than 10 weeks old feed primarily on insects such as short-and long-horned grasshoppers and beetles

Leafhoppers and other smaller insects are eaten in the initial weeks following hatching.

Lesser Prairie Chicken Insects make up more than half of the spring and summer

diet of adult lesser prairie-chickens. Sand sage leaves and buds and various forbs are consumed

in spring and summer as well. Seeds are primary foods in autumn, supplemented with

vegetative matter and insects. Shinnery oak acorns, sage leaves, wild buckwheat, rye and

seeds from native wild plants, fruits, and flowers are eaten in winter months.

Corn, oats, wheat, rye, grain sorghum, and other small grain crops left as waste grain after harvest, or left standing as a food plot.

Plain ChachalacaOrtalia vetula

Live in deep South Texas-near Rio Grande River

Large chicken-like, dark greenish to brown bird

Light pink skin on throat Long green tail Lives in thickets, or dense vegetation

Chachalaca

Ring-necked PheasantPhasianus colchicus

Chicken-like bird Weighs 2-3 pounds Male’s plumage is bright browns, gold colorss,

buffs, blues, and blacks with a greenish-purple iridescence around the head and neck and bright red wattles and eye patch, Male has distinctive white ring around neck

Tail-long sweeping and pointed

Ring-necked Pheasant

Ring-necked Pheasant - History Ancestry in the U.S. is a mixture of Chinese,

Korean, and Manchurian birds Exotic, introduced into in the 1790’s Early introductions were unsuccessful First succeeded in Oregon in 1881 and made

its way south in 1939 to the Texas Panhandle and to the Texas Gulf Coast in the 1970’s

Establishments These birds have established in croplands

where grain crops are grown-sorghum, corn, and other small grains

Well adapted to irrigated crops

Ring-necked Pheasant - Breeding The mating season in the state of Texas

occurs in April with the peak hatching season in generally mid June

Clutch sizes vary between 12-15 eggs and incubation roughly requires 23 days

Hens produce only one brood per year, but may re-nest if eggs get destroyed early

Do not form a pair bond, the males will establish territories

Breeding [cont]

65-75% of fall population will not live to see the hunting season the following year

Playas and small grains are crucial for the nesting hens Alfalfa is a favorite for nesting hens, but they will

make do with what is available Wheat is a disadvantage because harvest time conflicts

with nesting Planting alfalfa grass mixtures in 10 acre segments

within 200 yards of a playa is beneficial

Ring-necked PheasantHabitat Requirements

Pheasants are primarily seed eaters Corn, sorghum, wheat, barley, and soybeans

make up a large percentage of a pheasant’s diet Will feed on insects when they are available and

seeds are scarce Chicks diet consist largely of insects Gravel and Calcium-snail shells-are vital during

breeding and egg laying

Ring-necked Pheasant - Cover Require several cover types

Loafing cover, travel lanes, roosting cover, nesting cover, and winter cover

Nesting and winter cover are the most crucial Need protection from the elements in the harsh

winter months Weeds, Fencerows, and Windbreaks provide this

structural cover

Ring-necked Pheasant Water Water is not crucial when looking at a

management perspective Birds eat soft bodied, water containing

insects Usually associated with plenty of irrigated

croplands to meet their water requirements

Ring-necked Pheasant - Space Free roaming bird If there is adequate food and cover throughout

the year, this birds have been known to stay within less than one square mile.

This will vary from season to season depending on rainfall and irrigation

Pheasant - Management After the harvest of grain crops these birds

are left with a sufficient food source on the ground to last a population through the winter months

This only holds true if waste grains are not plowed under but left on the soil after harvest

Ring-necked Pheasant Population A good nesting year with good weather

conditions will typically produce 8-10 chicks 75% of the fall population will not make it

through one year. Starvation, predation, accidents, and winter

conditions will most likely account for this turnover

Hunting makes little or no impact on this mortality rate, hunters are harvest birds that would be culled

Migratory Non Waterfowl Game Birds Mourning Dove White-Winged Dove White-Tipped (White-fronted) Rock Doves (Pigeons) American Woodcock

Mourning Dove Pigeon-like bird Varies from 11-13 inches in length Weighs three and a half to five ounces Wings bordered with white spots and are

five and a half to seven inches long. Long neck and small head

Mourning Dove

Description Males more brightly colored Difficult to distinguish between the sexes Bare skin around the eyes is bluish, and the

iris is dark brown Slender bill, small and black Legs and feet are red Females and juveniles are slightly smaller and

have duller colors

Characteristics Mourning Dove is a native species Has the largest range of all North America’s

game birds, from Canada to the Bahamas. Usually winters in California to Georgia,

south to Panama, and can be in Alaska and Greenland in the summer

Migration Start migrating in September, after nesting is

completed and possibly October along the Gulf Coast

Migration is a leisurely process Roost at night in trees and rest in the middle of the

day Most flying occurs early morning and late afternoon Average 15 miles a day and migration is normally

completed by December

Territory Dove do not have an exact territory, except

when they are nesting Their roosting cover and availability of

food determine their range Move constantly in search of food

Mating Mourning Dove are monogamous and both

the female and male will incubate the eggs In the north mating will occur in January

and February and in the north as late as March and April

The males selects nest site and protects it by cooing, flying and pecking

The pressure by other males can be intense

Nesting Dove will pair off to nest, but will gather in

flocks after nesting Sometimes groups of 20 will migrate

together, but this is often subject to change along the way

There appears to be no social conflict between the sexes and juveniles at this point

Attraction

Dove females are attracted to males by the cooing that the males produce

This main “cooing” courtship shown by males and it most heard at dawn and late afternoon

The female can “coo” too, but the coos are very quite and seldom heard

Nesting The male always picks the nesting site and will bring

twigs and branches to compete the nest once he finds a companion

The female will perform the construction of the nest The first egg is laid, followed the second one two

days later Eggs are elliptical-oval, pure white, and are between

21millimeters and 28 millimeters Usually two to five periods of nesting per pair.

Nest [cont.] Nest are constructed in trees but will not be

used until there are leaves in the tree In some circumstances such as lack of trees or

crowding, doves are forced to nest on the ground

Most nest are within 5-25 ft off the ground Same sites are used year after year, and also

the same location in the tree is typically used May also use the nest of other birds

Hatching Incubation last 14-15 days Both sexes participate Male sits during daytime and female at night Dove are altricial (young are helpless at hatching

and require parental care for a while) Glandular secretion (pigeon milk) from both

parent crop-only food young receive while in the nest

Raising Broods The broods are raised about a month Within a week of laying nest, parents either lay

another clutch or start their migration Juveniles continue to grow and complete

feathering after a couple of weeks after leaving the nest

After this they gather in flocks and start migrate, generally before the mature birds, and they do not breed the first year

Mortality Hunting of dove generally takes about 30-35%

of the population annually There is also predation, accidents, starvation,

disease, and parasites Most predation is accounted for in the nesting

stage

Habitat Requirements Diet consist of seeds of native grasses,

cultivated grains, and forbs-croton and sunflower

Insects are a small portion of the diet Gravel or some form of Grit is needed for

digestion to break down food

Cover One of the most adaptable species because of

its wide home range Do not inhabit-forest, plains, marshes or

prairies Doves prefer to feed on ground vegetation is

sparse versus dense grasses Agricultural fields and brush and trees are

ideal cover for birds, even urban areas

Water

Water is crucial for birds during the nesting season and you will often find them close to a water source, although they can obtain some water from plants

Besides the nesting period - water is seldom a limiting factor due to the fact that these birds seem to always be on the move find new places

Dove Management It is hard to manage Dove because they are

migratory birds that are always on the move, but areas can be made desirable in order to attract them

Dove will not feed in dense grasses Disking is great because it encourages natural

weeds to grow Planting wheat and sunflower are beneficial

Population Hunting is one of the biggest population controls

on these birds If mortality is 50% or less, then next years

breeding population will increase If mortality is 70% or more, it will decrease Texas Parks and Wildlife monitors bird numbers

and sets regulations for each hunting year

White-winged Dove Similar in appearance

to the Mourning Dove

Large white wing-bands

Rounded, white-cornered tail

White-winged dove Important game bird in the Lower Rio Grand

Valley Feeding habitats similar to morning dove Prefer older more established residential

neighborhoods with large live oak, pecans and ashe trees

Range and numbers are increasing

White-winged Dove – Habitat and Food

Prefer large shade trees Expanding range into urban areas Food – similar to Mourning Dove

Will eat nectar, pollen and cactus fruits Will ingest small stones for digestion Prefers snail shells or bone fragments which

provide calcium

Nesting Both sexes build nest Female selects nesting site – often nesting

in groups with other White-wings Male brings materials for nest building and

assists female in building process

Behaviors Will lure predators away from nest with

“broken wing” Largely gregarious and move in groups May be effected by pesticide residues or

contamination from fungal toxins in grain

White-Tipped Doves (White-fronted)

White-Tipped (White-fronted) Rock Doves (Pigeons) American Woodcock

White-Tipped Dove (White-fronted)

Very similar to White-winged dove Flies low to ground Suited for citrus

groves Range is lower part of

Texas

Rock Doves (Pigeons) Introduced to North America in 1600’s Wide range Urban and Rural Up to 5 broods

per year Non-migratory

American Woodcock Shorebird that lives in forests Eats earthworms Range woods

of central and East Texas

Similar to Wilson’s snipe

Chukar Sometimes pen raised

and released for hunting in Texas

Common mid-west US

Ruffed Grouse

Coloration serves as a camouflage Mixture of browns,

blacks, whites, and grays

Have ruffs on neck Have crest on top of

head

Common non-game species mistaken for game birds Prairie Chicken Band-tailed Pigeon Greater Road Runner Mockingbird Blue Jay Northern Cardinal American Robin

Prairie Chicken A.K.A. Lesser Prairie

Chicken Brownish in color with

brown bars on topside of body, neck, breast, and belly

Long wing-like tufts of feathers on sides of neck

Males have inflatable dull red air sacs on side of neck

Band-tailed Pigeon

Large, migratory dove

Plump, small-headed Slender Black-tipped feathers Yellow beaks

Greater Roadrunner

Large Shaggy-crested Long-necked Short, rounded wings White crescent shows

when they fly, however they normally run

Mockingbird

Grey colored feathers on back

White underside Large white wing

patches Outer tail feathers

that are white

Blue Jay

Large, bight blue bird Whitish underparts Conspicuous crest

Northern Cardinal

Males are bright red with black throats

Conspicuous crown Beaks are conical and

red-colored

American Robin

Large Thrush Reddish / Orange

breast Males have a

blackish-gray back and wings

Lower belly and throat are white

The end…