Bobwhite quail are still found in most of their historic range which extends north into Minnesota. The best Iowa populations are in the three southern tiers of Iowa counties. Their peak abundance occurred before 1900. Long cold winters and deep snows usually decrease quail numbers. However, in the best brushy cover near grain fields, they have persisted in good numbers even though the bitter cold winters of 1912, 1936 and 1960. The 1960 winter losses were estimated at about 70 per cent in scanty cover, but as low as 10 percent in high quality cover.
Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science
© Copyright 1962 by the Iowa Academy of Science, Inc.
Stempel, M. E.
"Bobwhite Quail, Winter Weather and Agriculture,"
Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 69(1), 259-265.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol69/iss1/43