Habitat of bobwhite quail is being studied by the Alabama, Oklahoma, and Virginia Units, and pesticide investigations 

 are under way at the Patuxent Center and at two research stations in Alabama. Nest in typical cover in Oklahoma 

 (left) and a quail family in old field type in Virginia (right). (Photos by Oklahoma Cooperative Wildlife Research 

 Unit, left ; and L. G. Kesteloo, right) 



also were prominent in the summer diet. In win- 

 ter, seeds remained a dietary staple, but the insect 

 material was largely replaced by leafy foods. Of 

 more than passing interest was the fact that when 

 the ground is covered with snow, sumac seeds be- 

 come important in the quail's diet. 



Cover used for various purposes possessed dis- 

 tinctive characteristics. Roosting spots were typi- 

 cally surrounded by taller herbaceous plants, 

 usually bunchgrasses. These were of low to mod- 

 erate density and provided little overhead canopy 

 or obstruction. Resting places on the other hand 

 were generally under low trees or shrubs, which 

 did provide overhead canopy, lateral concealment, 

 and low stem density. Cover used for escape was 

 at least 3 feet in height and dense enough to pro- 

 vide some concealment. Foraging and dusting 

 were, carried out in places where stem density was 

 low. 



Metirm' quail. — The Arizona Unit conducted re- 

 search on Mearns' quail during the year, working 

 in grassy areas of the live-oak woodland in the 

 southeastern part of the State. In recent years 

 very short hunting seasons on Mearns' quail have 

 been permitted by the Arizona Game and Fish De- 

 partment. The study has clearly shown that the 

 quail population is not damaged in these hunts, 

 since the bird has a high reproductive potential. 

 Age ratios in the fall population are comparable 

 to those in Gambel's and scaled quails. 



Juncos important consumers of conifer seed. — 

 In the Northwest, the seeds of Douglas-fir and 

 other important forest trees are staple foods for 

 many birds and mammals. In some years forest 

 regeneration is threatened by the loss. The juncos, 

 small birds common to the region, are perhaps the 

 most abundant of the seed eaters. Analyses of 

 the gizzard contents of juncos collected seasonally 



37 



