16 Nebraskaland • November 2025
Unlike ducks or
geese that travel
thousands of
miles each year,
bobwhite quail live
their entire lives
close to where
they hatch. These
small, iconic game
birds of America's
grasslands and
farmlands rely
on the immediate
habitat around
them.
Research shows
that a bobwhite's
home range can be as small as 20 acres, sometimes stretching
to 100 acres depending on food, cover and seasonal needs.
Within that space, quail form coveys in fall and winter,
nest in spring and raise broods through the summer. Their
survival depends on the habitat within a relatively small
area.
Within a bobwhite quail's already small home range,
coveys spend most of their time in what biologists call
"covey headquarters." These are areas of cover that provide
protection from predators, shelter from weather, and serve
as a central hub for daily activity.
A covey headquarters is sometimes no more than a single
plum thicket growing in a ditch or the limbs of a fallen tree.
Other times it's a patch of brush or a hedgerow just big
enough to hide a dozen quail.
The quality and availability of these headquarters
determine whether quail can persist on the landscape.
Without them, birds are far more vulnerable and less likely
to survive harsh winters or predation.
For landowners and conservationists, recognizing and
preserving these small but vital features is key. Leaving that
lone thicket or brushy fenceline can provide the anchor a
covey needs to thrive.
Unlike migratory birds, quail can't fly away to better
conditions. They are tied to the land in a way that makes
them both vulnerable and emblematic of the places they
live.
A single covey headquarters can literally be the difference
between a place with quail and one without.
By Ryan Sparks, Editor of Quail Forever Journal
A PLUM THICKET CAN SAVE A COVEY
IN THE FIELD
This roadside ditch included plum thickets (bottom) before
being cleared (top), eliminating all signs of quail habitat.
JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
