2019 Kansas Quail Whistle Count
Source: Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism
Excerpt from 2019 Report
Prepared by Jeff Prendergast
RESULTS
Observers surveyed 73 of 76 assigned routes during 2019 for a statewide index of 3.01 calling males per stop. Among the 67 comparable routes, the 2019 statewide index to the breeding bobwhite population was 25% lower than in 2018 (Table 2) which was a statistically significant decrease. There was a statistically significant (P < 0.10) decreases in the average number of calling males per stop in the Smoky Hills (-34%), South Central Prairies (-15%) and Southern High Plains (-35%) regions from 2018 to 2019 (Table 2). There were no regions that showed statistically significant (P < 0.10) increases in the average number of calling males per stop this year. There were non-significant decreases in the average males calling per stop in the Flint Hills, Glaciated Plains, and Osage Cuestas, with the Northern High Plains region indicating a non-significant increase from 2018 (Table 2).
The statewide calling males/stop index has shown an increase at a rate of 0.021 calling males/year (Figure 2, Statewide), however this is not a significant rate of increase (P > 0.05). The rate of change has been highly impacted by large fluctuations in the indices through time associated with the boom and bust cycles of bobwhite quail. The current index is slightly above average following an extended population boom over the last 4 years associated with habitat improvements as conditions improved from the 2011-14 drought. While recent statewide increases are welcomed, the Glaciated Plains and Osage Cuestas regions of eastern Kansas (Figure 2), that were historically considered strongholds for bobwhite, continue to struggle. These regions saw slight declines again this year with Glaciated Plains slipping back below its’ long-term average. Despite the indices improvements in recent years the long-term average in the Glaciated Plains region still indicates a long-term declining trend associated with habitat loss during the timeframe. Bobwhite populations in the central and western regions have displayed more stable to increasing long term trends.