Physiological ecology of bobwhite quail on Ames Plantation, Tennessee

Between early December, 1977 and late May, 1978, 76 bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) were collected on the Dusco study area, Ames Plantation. Each month of the study, a minimum of 10 birds was collected; total body weight, over-dry weight, total lipid reserves, gastrointestinal helminth burden and food habits were determined. Hematological parameters and serum biochemical values were also calculated for each month except December.

Oven-dry weights and percentage lipid reserves were closely related; both peaked in January-February. Lipid metabolism, as indexed by triglyceride and albumin-FFA levels, was similar in both sexes during January to March. Maximum lipid synthesis and deposition occurred in early winter with a subsequent dependence on lipid reserves in early spring.

Laying females had significantly higher lipid reserves (12.7 percent) than breeding males (8.9 percent). This difference was attributed to elevated lipid metabolism in the female with the onset of lay. Highly significant (P ≤ 0.001) increases in serum albumin, calcium, phosphorus, iron and triglyceride were associated with metabolic changes in the breeding female.

Serum glucose levels were higher than any reported in the literature on avian species. High energy demands of wild birds, acute stress due to handling, or both, probably accounted for these elevated levels. Serum uric acid levels appear to have potential as indicators of abnormally high gluconeogenesis (protein depletion) in energy deficient individuals.

Hematological values are highly variable in normal, healthy individuals, making these parameters of limited usefulness in indexing physiological condition of quail.

Four species of nematodes and no cestodes were recovered from the gastrointestinal tracts of 76 quail. Heterakis bonasae was present in 100 percent of the birds, but numbers of this parasite were not related to any physiological parameter. Female Tetrameres pattersoni were encysted in 61.5 percent of the proventriculi examined. Two other proventicular nematodes, Dispharynx sp. and Cyrnea colini were found in low incidence and numbers.

Some combination of lipid reserves and serum triglyceride, free fatty acids, cholesterol, albumin, glucose and uric acid appears to offer the most potential as an index to physiological condition of quail.