QF on the Landscape in Ohio
By Garrett Caudill
The Conservation Reserve Program’s (CRP) State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) in Ohio aims to establish and restore habitat for targeted species of concern. Ohio currently has two SAFE projects, the Ohio Pollinator and Monarch SAFE and the Ohio Upland Bird SAFE. Ohio Upland Bird SAFE includes habitat focus areas for both pheasants and quail which impact not only our favorite upland game birds, but many other species in decline due to loss of grassland habitat. The Upland Bird SAFE Quail Focus Area is available in several counties in southern Ohio.
In this part of the state, the song of the bobwhite can be nostalgic for some, invoking fond memories of days when the bird was common. Many landowners enroll with the hope of hearing the whistle return to their properties. In October 2021, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife estimated a 71 percent population decline of northern bobwhite since 2011. Clearly, it is time to pull out all the stops to keep this iconic species on the Ohio landscape.
When conducting habitat restoration, the specific design and arrangement of all the components is critical to ensure ideal quail habitat. Quail SAFE practice requirements describe the framework for successful bobwhite habitat. However, participating landowners are presented with options that they should be aware of when trying to build adequate cover for the species.
The program allows for plantings of forbs mixed with cool season grass (such as timothy and orchardgrass) or warm season grass (such as little bluestem, big bluestem and sideoats grama). Landowners choosing the cool season grass option are required to plant 10-20 percent of the acres to shrubs, switchgrass, or both. Landowners choosing the more popular and more desirable warm season grass planting have an option to plant a portion of the stand to native shrubs. This is not a programmatic requirement, but for property owners interested in bobwhite conservation, shrubs are an important component that should not be overlooked.
I’ve heard at least one expert describe bobwhite quail as a shrub obligate species, meaning their survival is dependent on this type of cover. As a comparison, sage grouse are considered a sage brush obligate species. Native shrubs, in the appropriate arrangement to other habitat types, are integral to bobwhite population growth. According to information provided by The Ohio State University, woody vegetation provides the birds with winter cover, feeding areas, loafing areas, and escape cover. Without this habitat requirement met, quail will not persist on the landscape.
Ohio’s Quail SAFE allows for the option of up to 10 percent native shrub cover. However, Jason Jones, the Grasslands & Grazing Coordinator for the Ohio PF & QF team, stresses that 10 percent might not be enough. “If a landowner is interested specifically in managing bobwhite quail, I would suggest finding ways to go above 10 percent native shrub habitat. If a site is isolated from other habitat, I do not think 10 percent would satisfy bobwhite quail needs for shrub habitat. I would suggest more like 25 percent native shrubs would be more appropriate. Use native shrub plantings, hedgerow plantings, or field windbreaks or other practices to add more shrub habitat.”
The Upland Bird SAFE program looks to combat the decline of quail habitat in the state of Ohio. If you are a landowner in the state who wants your property to emulate a bobwhite quail sanctuary, then native shrubs are paramount. Voluntary cost-share programs like SAFE are built with some flexibility for good reason. Every property comes with a unique set of circumstances, and every landowner has specific objectives for his/her property. Fortunately, your PF & QF Farm Bill biologist team is available to assist and help maximize the potential of these programs to best suit your needs, and especially the needs of the wildlife that live there.
Garrett Caudill is a Farm Bill biologist for Quail Forever.
This story originally appeared in the 2023 Spring Issue of the Quail Forever Journal. If you enjoyed it and would like to be the first to read more great upland content like this, become a Quail Forever member today!