Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) resource selection and survival on Quail Focal Areas in Tennessee

Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) populations have experienced steep declines across the eastern United States, primarily because of habitat loss, fragmentation, and changing land use. In Tennessee, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency implemented intensive habitat management on three Quail Focal Areas to investigate whether focused efforts could boost bobwhite populations. This study aimed to document resource selection and survival at the macro and micro scales during the breeding (Apr–Sep) and non-breeding (Oct–Mar) seasons, assess site-specific differences, evaluate the influence of management practices on resource selection and survival, and document meso-mammalian predator relationships with seasonal survival. From 2021 to 2023, 312 bobwhites were captured and radio-tagged with VHF transmitters. Individuals were monitored 3–5 times weekly, and habitat characteristics were measured through vegetation sampling and remote spatial metrics in ArcGIS Pro. General linear models and Program RMark were used to evaluate resource selection and survival. Bobwhite consistently selected early successional vegetation types and avoided closed-canopy forests. Management practices influenced resource selection. During the breeding season, spot-spraying and disking enhanced herbaceous cover and vegetation structure, whereas recent burns (months) promoted food resources and reduced litter. Smaller management units (ha) were favored during summer, likely because of increased proximity of food and cover resources. Non-breeding season selection emphasized areas with shrub cover, increased midstory stem density, and visual obstruction, which provided thermal and escape cover. Bobwhite avoided areas treated with spot-spray herbicide applications from the previous summer during the non-breeding season, likely because of reduced woody cover. Survival differed by season (37.0% breeding and 58.8% non-breeding seasons, respectively). Survival was negatively related to management unit size and increased midstory stem density during the breeding season whereas non-breeding season survival was positively related to increased ground cover and prescribed burns within the past year. Predation by meso-mammals negatively related to survival. We recommend implementing small-scale disturbances (ha) using frequent prescribed fire (1–2-year intervals) and disking to enhance nesting and brooding cover. Maintaining escape and thermal cover during non-breeding seasons may require less-frequent burns (3-year intervals). Continued focused habitat management is necessary for maintaining bobwhite populations on the focal areas.