An Evaluation of a Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) Parent-reared Release in South Carolina

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Northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) have experienced large, range-wide declines mainly attributed to the loss of early-successional habitat. Bobwhite population recovery is predicated on sound habitat management. Even when adequate habitat exists, low bobwhite densities and limited dispersal capabilities may limit population recovery. Restocking techniques, including release of pen-reared birds, wild bobwhite translocation, and the use of wild-strained, parent-reared captive-raised bobwhites have been explored as surrogates to natural recolonization. In this study, I evaluated survival and reproduction of parent-reared bobwhites, compared to resident bobwhites, on a private property in South Carolina from April 2009-April 2013. I used a sequential modeling approach to evaluate adult survival and nest survival using Program MARK. Bobwhite survival was best explained by temporal (annual and weekly) effects and group (parent-reared vs. resident) effects. Weekly bobwhite survival for both parent-reared and resident bobwhites was too low to produce a stable population. Parent-reared bobwhite survival was lower than resident bobwhites during the first 3 weeks post-release but similar during later weeks. Parent-reared bobwhites released in August had higher survival (S = 0.884, 95% CI = 0.862, 0.903) than birds released in early fall (S = 0.707, 95% CI = 0.621, 0.782). Nest survival and other reproductive parameters for parent-reared and resident bobwhite were similar. The viability of the parent-reared release system as a restocking technique is limited as currently constructed and future modification is needed if it is to produce a viable bobwhite population

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