What Is the Life Span of a Bobwhite Quail?

The northern bobwhite is perhaps the best-known and most easily identified of the North American quail species. This small, rufous-colored bird may be found throughout the midwestern and southeastern United States and is recognized by the distinctive call after which it was named. Although bobwhites are numerous, their typical lifespan is cut short by a variety of factors.

  1. Life Expectancy

    • Bobwhites balance high mortality rates with high fertility rates.

      In the wild, natural mortality rates are critical for keeping bird and animal populations under control. The bobwhite faces a number of natural threats that vary considerably due to season, location and predatory species. The death each year of approximately 70 percent to 80 percent of the world's quail population is balanced by unusually large broods, hatched from a production of nine to 15 eggs each season. In the wild, a bobwhite quail may live as long as five years, but the average life expectancy is less than one year.

    Weather

    • In the northern regions of its range, the highest bobwhite mortality occurs during the winter, as the bobwhite is particularly sensitive to cold weather. Its widely spaced feathers can easily become packed with snow, which in turn melts and freezes, ultimately leading to the bird's demise. This can be especially devastating for southern populations unaccustomed to severe winter weather. Periods of drought, excessive rainfall, or unusual temperature fluctuation additionally contribute to the shortening of a bobwhite's lifespan.

    Predation

    • The northern bobwhite is threatened by a wide array of predators, including skunk, opossum, foxes, raccoons, weasels and squirrels. Predatory birds such as hawks, owls and crows are also fond of quail. Bobwhite eggs are among the favorite snacks of snakes as well as of domestic cats and dogs. Fortunately for the quail, it is only one of approximately 100 prey species living in its range, which improves its odds of survival.

    Disease

    • Captive quail are highly vulnerable to a variety of diseases and infections by parasites. Not surprisingly, the mortality rate of captive bobwhite is quite high. Wild quail do not appear to suffer from widespread disease, although because sickly and dead birds are quickly taken by scavengers, it is difficult to accurately attribute quail deaths to specific causes.

    Human Factors

    • Hunting is the most obvious factor that contributes to the short lifespan of the northern bobwhite, which is a popular game bird throughout the Midwest and southern United States. Land management practices, such as controlled burns, have also been known to result in severe declines in quail numbers. Pesticides, too, have had devastating consequences for virtually all animal and bird life on the planet, and the bobwhite has suffered great losses as a result of their continued use.