Bringing Back The Elusive Mountain Quail To Idaho And Eastern Washington

LEWISTON - - Populations of Idaho's rarest quail, the mountain quail, just got a jump start with a recent reintroduction of 72 birds to the Craig Mountain Wildlife Management Area south of Lewiston.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, University of Idaho and Bureau of Land Management reintroduced 145 quail from a healthy population in western Oregon to Idaho's Craig Mountain and Washington's Asotin Creek Wildlife Management Area near Asotin, WA.   

One hundred of the birds were fitted with radio-collars and will be monitored for the next two years to investigate home range, movements, distribution, seasonal habitat use, productivity, survival and mortality factors.

Due to their secretive nature and small population sizes, only a few studies exist on mountain quail ecology. This reintroduction study will provide more insights to better manage and conserve the species before further population declines lead to possible listing under the Endangered Species Act.

Mountain quail, the largest quail species in North America, have blueish-gray plumage with a chestnut throat patch and sides with white vertical bars. It has a much longer, straight head plume than the plentiful California quail, characterized by a short, curved head plume, black throat patch and scaled belly plumage.

Like many areas in the West, mountain quail have nearly vanished from Idaho during the past 40 years. Twenty-five years ago, the birds were commonly observed in the Craig Mountain area and along Asotin Creek, but today sightings are very rare.

Mountain quail were legally hunted in Idaho until 1984, when diminishing populations prompted the close of the season. However, populations continued to decline. This led IDFG to list mountain quail as a "sensitive" species. Experts point to combination of overgrazing by livestock, water impoundments, agricultural development, and fire suppression as potential causes for mountain quail decline in eastern Oregon, eastern Washington and Idaho.

"Habitat alteration in many forms has lead to mountain quail population decline here," said Ashley Martens, a University of Idaho graduate student who is coordinating the study.   

Habitat restoration efforts have been ongoing at Craig Mountain and Asotin Creek Wildlife Management Areas. Habitat management plans in are in place to improve, restore or maintain healthy riparian areas. Livestock grazing has been removed and prescribed fires are being used to manage and restore habitats. Also, an intensive invasive weed eradication program has been implemented at Craig Mountain with assistance from The Nature Conservancy.

During the fall, mountain quail inhabit thick cover in upper-elevation areas where blue and ruffed grouse and chukars also can be found. Hunters need to be cautious and know how to identify the different species of birds before shooting. IDFG encourages the public to report any sighting of mountain quail to their nearest Fish & Game office.

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