2017 Kansas Quail Whistle Count
Source: Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism
Prepared by Jeff Prendergast
Excerpt from 2017 Report
RESULTS
Observers surveyed 74 of the 76 assigned routes during 2017 for a statewide index of 3.40 calling males per stop. Routes 20 in Finney county and 46 in Neosho county were not completed during the allotted survey period. Among the 69 comparable routes, the 2017 statewide index to the breeding bobwhite population was 3% higher than in 2016 (Table 2) which was a not a statistically significant increase. There were statistically significant (P < 0.10) increases in the average number of calling males per stop in the Smoky Hills (40%) region from 2016 to 2017 (Table 2). The average number of calling males per stop was also greater in the South-Central Prairies, Flint Hills, Glaciated Plains, and Northern high plains in 2017; however these increases were not statistically significant (P > 0.10). There were no statistically significant (P < 0.10) decreases in the average number of calling males per stop among any of the 7 regions this year. There were non-significant decreases in the average males calling per stop in both the Osage Cuestas and the Southern High Plains (Table 2). Non-significant changes at the regional level could have been solely due to variability associated with the sampling methodology.
The statewide calling bobs/stop index has shown an increase at a rate of 0.012 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 increases in the indices in the last 3 years that has improved the estimated population trajectory. While these recent statewide increase are welcomed, there had been a declining trend in bobwhite abundance since the inception of this survey in 1998, particularly in the Glaciated Plains and Osage Cuestas regions of eastern Kansas
(Figure 2). These regions saw slight declines this year but remained above their respective long-term averages. However, despite the indices remaining above the long-term average in these regions, both still indicate a long-term declining trend. Bobwhite populations in the central and western regions have displayed more stable to increasing long term trends.