Bobwhite Quail on Long Island
Bobwhite quail were once a popular game bird for hunters. In 2012, the Department of Environmental Conservation abridged its quail hunting ground on all of Long Island for fear of further reducing their presence. The number of Bobwhite Quail surveyed across eight sites in Suffolk County declined from 24 in 2002 to zero in 2012. Bobwhites are struggling to make a comeback due to the insufficient amount of grassland on Long Island.
The quail seen today are the quail released from captive breeding programs. Eric Powers has been conducting the “Bobwhite Quail Project” for the past twelve years in Smithtown. Powers has entered a partnership with local schools, such as William Floyd, that raise the quail eggs and release them in the summer.
Bobwhite quail are indigenous to Long Island. However, since the species became a popular game bird, the population has decreased to almost non-existent. Bobwhite quail consume large amounts of seeds and insects. A major component of their diet are ticks. Due to the overpopulation of deer on Long Island, the number of ticks has exponentially increased. The Bobwhite quail act as a check on the tick population. If the bobwhite quail are restored, the number of ticks on the island decrease, as well as the chance for tick carried diseases.