Researchers Issue APB For Missing Quail, Solicit “Neighborhood Watch”

Writer: Tim W. McAlavy, (806) 746-6101, email: t-mcalavy@tamu.edu
Contact: Dale Rollins, (915) 653-4576, or Dean Ransom, (940) 552-9941

LUBBOCK -- Two Texas A&M wildlife specialists have issued an “All Points Bulletin,” or APB, for 17 blue quail released on the Circle J&B Ranch in April. The quail were released as part of a pilot wildlife project to help restore blue quail populations on the Texas Rolling Plains.

“We released 17 radio-collared blue quail on the Circle J&B Ranch south of Seymour on April 17,” said Dale Rollins, Texas Cooperative Extension wildlife specialist. “We hoped this release would give us some data on survival-adaptation -- information we could use in future restocking efforts.

“But we’ve only been able to locate two of the 17 quail we released, and both radio collars on these birds are sending a mortality signal. The others have simply got away from us.”

That is why Rollins and Ransom have issued the All Points Bulletin. They are asking residents of Archer, Baylor, Foard, Haskell, Knox, Jones, Shackelford, Stephens, Throckmorton, Young, Wichita, or Wilbarger counties to help spot the missing birds.

“Anytime you lose track of radio-collared birds, there is always a possibility the radios failed. We hope the remaining birds simply got ahead of our tracking gear,” Ransom said. “I flew over the area recently, but only picked up the two mortality signals.

“Once radio-collared wildlife get away from you, finding them again is like looking for a needle in a haystack.”

Blue quail are still a novelty on the Rolling Plains. Rollins and Ransom hope this novelty will be enough to make landowners and residents notice the birds, should they see them.

Confirmed sightings will help the specialists narrow their search field for the missing blue quail.

“My gut feeling is the birds are still alive, and have likely set up shop somewhere within 25 miles of the Circle J&B Ranch,” Rollins said. “Even so, that is a lot of country to search -- even in an airplane with radio tracking equipment.”

Anyone in these counties who spots blue quail should notify Rollins or Ransom of their sighting. Rollins is at the San Angelo Research & Extension Center, (915) 653-4576, while Ransom is headquartered at the Vernon Research & Extension Center, (940) 552-9941.