Bob white quail in ON

I may be wrong but it is my understanding that pen raised bobwhite quail can not be released in ON, due to concerns about their effect on wild bob whites. ( NOT talking about conturix quail)

I was reading a study in another forum that seemed to say that released, pen - raised quail did not effect the survival of wild quail. I haven't seen any actual studies in ON.

Thoughts?
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Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept did a study "Survival and Movement Behavior of Captive-Raised, Wild and Wild Bred First Generation Bpbwhites in the Coastal Plain of Texas".

They did a study on a 500 acre study area releasing 200 birds in 10 birds per unit from 4 groups of quail:

1. Captive-Raised quail from wild parents
2. Captive-Raised quail from the game bird farm
3. Resident wild quail trapped from the study area
4. Translocated wild quail trapped 35km from study area

Flight speed of birds released was recorded and wild bird avg speed was 29mph and captive raised birds avg speed was 19mph.

Mortality to 50%- Both groups. Captived-raised birds reached 50% in 8 days. Resident wild birds in 47 days and translocated wild quail 32 days.

Captive-Raised quail from wild parents ranged 500 yards from release site whereas Captive-Raised from game farm ranged 100 yard from release site.

Mammalian predation was leading cause of mortality in all groups. Over 60% for both captive-raised groups and translocated wild quail and 40% for resident wild quail.

Only 1 Captive-raised bird intergrated with wild quail and moved off the study area.

8 Captive-Raised from wild parents intergrated with wild birds and moved to surrounding pastures and

7 Captive-Raised from wild also intergrated with wild bird and remained on study site.
These birds flushed easily and were difficult to distinguish from wild birds.

My understanding was that the pen raised(farm ) if added to the wild population would introduce new diseases and kill off or weaken the native population. Since the native population would be the hardier bird based on survival rates by naturally thinning out the weaker birds . The pen raised birds are a mixed bag of strong and weak and would not adapt as well as the native population. This would weaken the native population breeding genetics and could wipe out any last remaining native population. Pen raised birds (large scale) produce high numbers in comfortable living conditions for the purpose meat for human consumption. They are not being raised for hardiness to a high degree.

My understanding that licenced game farms can still release Bob White quail. It would be assumed by the MNR that the released birds are put and take and there would be no surviving birds to transit diseases.

Are there still any active wild colonies of Bob White quail still in Ontario?

There is still some scatting colonies of Grey Partridge (Huns) and Pheasants but I have not heard of any in Ontario for many years.

While in the Midwest I was advised that they release many pen raised pheasants that mix with the wild. The idea is to keep the population up for the pheasant hunting programs. Since only co cks can be harvested the weaker birds would be harvested first, or become predator food, if the pen raised survived until spring it had proven its adaption to the wild and would capable of breeding.

I see a release program in my back yard that still has surviving birds make it through to the spring and small clutch's of birds hatch. Unfortunately , not enough survive to make the population increase. I believe it is the lack of four season habitant. Farmers like to keep tidy land , no grassland. Possibly if we were to harvest only the co ck birds as is the practice in the west we may see a increase in population.

I believe wild birds in Ontario now only exist in Niagara and the season there is co cks only for one week.

My apologies on changing from quail to pheasants, but this MNR biologists theory of diseased birds escaping into the wild, spreading the disease while has merits is over emphasised and to my readings yet proven. I would endorse releasing numerous healthy pen raised birds in quality habitant and allowing them to adapt, then propagate on their own.


Dick

Dick,
You are spot on with the above post. I have discussed this concept with numerous MNR who still endorse the view that wild populations will be adversely affected. I ask for data on populations but they are unable to respond.
The bottom line is that there is such a minimal population here in Ontario to base that premise on. We'd be far better to have an expanding population of both quail and pheasants then worry if...if there are adverse health issues because for most of the folks in Ont., they don't exist now.
Fish stocking in Lake Ontario is a prime example. They have introduced various strains of Lake trout into the main stream, they have no data as to adverse effects on whatever is the current strain if there is such a thing.Consistency?????

Wapole Island has the last remaining native species left to my knowledge. I did happen to come across a few last year while hunting an area around the Alvinston area. I would love to be part of a release program in designated areas but believe many would be thinned out not just based on the introduction of possible disease theory but loss of overall genetic hardiness. I would find it hard to believe that the many generations of penned raised birds bred for meat production would be of the same genetic hardiness. A good friend of mine who is also a biologist had this discussion at the hunt camp with us a few years back. Again if it could be done i would jump right in to be a part of it.

Re pheasants, Nova Scotia discontinued the release of pen-raised birds in the 1960s when they determined it was harming wild populations. After they stopped the releases, their wild bird numbers actually improved.

That the release of pen-raised birds is bad for wild populations is well established. You can see why in the study Sharon quoted; you don't want those slower, stupider birds interbreeding with the wild birds. And we can't assume that all the pen-raised birds will be shot first and won't interbreed with wild birds. The results of a single study of a single release in Texas do not establish that as a universal principle.

It's time to stop complaining about releases and start thinking about the real problem: habitat.

You are spot on Welsh well said.:)

[QUOTE=BDH;868600]My understanding that licenced game farms can still release Bob White quail. It would be assumed by the MNR that the released birds are put and take and there would be no surviving birds to transit diseases.

Are there still any active wild colonies of Bob White quail still in Ontario?

There is still some scatting colonies of Grey Partridge (Huns) and Pheasants but I have not heard of any in Ontario for many years.

While in the Midwest I was advised that they release many pen raised pheasants that mix with the wild. The idea is to keep the population up for the pheasant hunting programs. Since only co cks can be harvested the weaker birds would be harvested first, or become predator food, if the pen raised survived until spring it had proven its adaption to the wild and would capable of breeding.

I see a release program in my back yard that still has surviving birds make it through to the spring and small clutch's of birds hatch. Unfortunately , not enough survive to make the population increase. I believe it is the lack of four season habitant. Farmers like to keep tidy land , no grassland. Possibly if we were to harvest only the co ck birds as is the practice in the west we may see a increase in population.

I believe wild birds in Ontario now only exist in Niagara and the season there is co cks only for one week.

My apologies on changing from quail to pheasants, but this MNR biologists theory of diseased birds escaping into the wild, spreading the disease while has merits is over emphasised and to my readings yet proven. I would endorse releasing numerous healthy pen raised birds in quality habitant and allowing them to adapt, then propagate on their own.

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My feelings also which is why I posted the study. Obviously one study, ( although there may be more I'm not aware of ), isn't sufficient from which to draw national conclusions
. Nothing in SW On is going to change as far as habitat goes , which is why I also think we need to reconsider whether released pen- raised birds really are a problem.

Anyone know where I can see the study the MNR assumedly conducted, before they made their decision to not allow pen- raised bob white to be released?

When wild populations are pretty much non existent I sure wouldn't be worrying about the effect of pen raised birds being released. We don't have enough wild ones for it to affect negatively. Release programs would only benefit both quail and pheasants

No habitat .But the fox and Coyotes would benefit.:)