Research

Bobwhite quail management, burning and cotton rat ecology

Cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) are a primary prey species for many of the predators in the Southeastern United States. Since Northern bobwhite quail tend to be a secondary prey item to these predators, land managers on quail plantations have to look for ways to keep the quail predation rate down, while conducting land management practices to maximize quail production. One possible way to minimize the predation of quail is to maintain a high level of cotton rats. This can be done by a variety of land management practices. This study focuses on the effects of small versus large scale burning on the survival of cotton rats as well as the effects of burning versus not burning on cotton rat survival. In our first year, cotton rat population levels appeared to be at a high, as did bobwhite quail numbers. The following year, the population crashed as did the bobwhite quails’ population. This year, both populations appear to be increasing in numbers once again. Cotton rats are believed to follow a three to five year population cycle. Currently, we are in the third year of trapping and have not completed the population cycle Trapping will continue at least through the entire length of the cotton rat population cycle. Hopefully this study will give some insights into land management practices that will increase cotton rat survival resulting in a decreased level of quail predation.