Habitat Preferences of Relocated and Resident Northern Bobwhite in Eastern Texas

During 1990-1992, 291 northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) were captured, radio-tagged, and relocated from southern and eastern Texas to an intensively managed 563-ha eastern Texas study area; 139 resident birds were also captured, radiotagged, and released at the point of capture. We examined macro- and micro-habitat selection by relocated and resident birds. At the macro-habitat level, all 3 groups of bobwhite were associated with food plots (P < 0.05), preferred stands of pure pines > 30 years old, and avoided stands of pure pines 6-15 years old, hardwoods > 30 years old, and mixed pine-hardwoods > 30 years. At the micro-level, bird locations had more dead grass and bare ground but less live grass than random locations (P < 0.05). Bobwhite were not associated with edges (P > 0.05).

Publication date
Starting page
632
Ending page
643
ID
20329