Scaled Quail Foods in Southeastern New Mexico

The diet of scaled quail (Callipepla squamata) in southeastern New Mexico during 1970-73 was studied by crop analysis. Principal foods were seeds of mesquite (Prosopis juliflora) and snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae). Mesquite averaged 18.8 percent of the diet in 4 summers and 18.0 percent in 3 winters. Snakeweed averaged 31.4 percent in 3 winters, although it was practically uneaten in summer. The well-documented abundance of scaled quail in southeastern New Mexico probably is due in part to abundance of snakeweed and mesquite. Where drastic reduction of either of these species is undertaken, small scattered areas should be left untreated for use by scaled quail. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 39(3):496-502 Few quantitative studies have been made of foods of scaled quail. Kelso (1937) noted early contributions and reported crop contents of 267 birds taken in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Sonora (Mexico), and New York (three released birds). His results included data reported previously by Judd (1905:61-63) and, apparently, by Russell (1932:64-86). Later studies were made in western Texas (Lehmann and Ward 1941, Wallmo 1956) and in the Oklahoma panhandle (Schemnitz 1961). More recent studies have identified foods of scaled quail in the southeastern corner of New Mexico (Campbell et al. 1973, Davis and Banks 1973), where dense populations usually occur (Ligon 1961:96) and hunting pressure is high (Campbell and Stuart 1973, P-R Job Prog. Rep., Proj. W-104-R-14, New Mexico Dept. Game and Fish, Santa Fe). This report extends the knowledge of foods of scaled quail, particularly in summer. Crop contents were taken from 208 quail collected in summer (May-August) and 107 collected in winter (DecemberMarch) from 1970 through 1973 on the same area used by Davis and Banks (1973). Results of the study imply potential detrimental effects of brush control, an accepted practice in southeastern New Mexico, on scaled quail. Several officials of the Bureau of Land Management, especially J. E. Crawford, W. Campbell, and G. Orr, provided help and encouragement during the study. Former wildlife science graduate students B. D. Borden, J. P. Griffing, and P. E. Sawyer collected many of the birds used in the study. The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish granted permission to collect quail outside the hunting season. State seed analysts E. W. McSwain and T. L. Turner assisted in identification of seeds from quail