Bobwhite 51 



The late fall or winter shuffle, which appears to be characteristic of the other 

 parts of the State, seems to be simply a food movement, such as already noted by 

 Stoddard in Georgia, and which may take place at any time (except during the 

 breeding season) that a superior food supply at any place gives occasion for 

 moving. 



While the existence of a shuffle may be accepted as a fact, its average and 

 maximum length in miles remains totally unknown. It is the opinion of good 

 observers that prairie quail move as much as three miles, but this is merely guess 

 work. 



Banding would quickly and convincingly give not only the average and 

 maximum length, but also the proportion of birds and covies affected. 



It should by no means be assumed by the reader that either the alleged mi- 

 gration, or the shuffle, affects all of the covies on any given area. On the con- 

 trary, the probabilities are that it affects only a small and variable proportion of 

 the covies. 



Movement of Cocks. In Wisconsin several observers in the nearly quail- 

 less area reported hearing whistling cocks in spring, but never seeing any covies in 

 fall or winter. In all such cases, however, resident covies were found to exist not 

 less than one county to the southward. Thus whistling cocks were heard at the 

 Moon Lake Refuge in Fond du Lac County, and at Kewaskum in Dodge County, 

 but the nearest resident covies are at least 10 miles distant from either locality. 

 These occurrences suggest that unmated cocks may move at least 10 miles in the 

 search for mates, and that the actual breeding range is surrounded by a "whistling 

 zone" at least 10 miles wide. 



Summary. The Georgia evidence that quail usually stay within half a mile 

 of their birthplace may be supplemented as follows for the north central region. 



(1) The tradition that quail migrate is not supported by any present evi- 

 dence. Such migrations may have occurred in pre-settlement days in places where 

 prairie breeding grounds were far distant from winter cover. 



(2) A distinct "shuffle", or local unoriented movement of covies, occurs 

 annually, especially in the southwestern part of the region. This shuffle may be 

 associated with extra dense populations or prairie range or both. It probably 

 does not affect more than a fraction of the total covies in any locality. The dis- 

 tance moved is unknown, but probably seldom exceeds three miles. 



(3) Unmated cocks may move 10 miles in search of mates. 



The measurement of all these movements by means of wholesale banding is 

 badly needed as a basis for intelligent management. 



MISCELLANEOUS LIFE HISTORY 



Sex Ratio. There is a belief among some sportsmen, especially in Indiana, 

 that an excess of cock birds occurs, and that this interferes with nesting. Some 

 believe that the fighting males even scratch up and destroy nests. 



