Mississippi Quail Population Trends
Estimating Mississippi's Quail Population
Collecting the Data
Average quail count represents average number of calling quail counted on survey points distributed across each area (the same survey points are counted each year). Most areas have about 15-20 points from which observers count numbers of whistling males. These counts are conducted on WMAs with upland habitat management potential. However, actual quail habitat quality varies substantially.
Interpreting the Data
Data should be interpreted somewhat cautiously. Calling activity can vary within and among years, and some routes may be surveyed only one time during some years. Evaluating several years of breeding season call-count data provides relative population trends on a given area. Theodore A. Mars, Jr. WMA only has six survey points; all other WMAs have 12 or more survey points. Fewer survey points can make averages fluctuate more noticeably.
