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Article: Association of Northern Bobwhites with surface water in the semi-arid Texas Panhandle.(Report)
- Article from:
- The Wilson Journal of Ornithology
- Article date:
- March 1, 2009
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2009 Wilson Ornithological Society. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The necessity of surface water to Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) survival and reproduction, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, is poorly understood. Grinnell (1927) believed that quail in the southwestern United States selected nest sites within walking distance to water; if they did not, the brood would not survive. Vorhies (1928:449) remarked, "there does not appear ... any reason to believe that nests are congregated about water supplies." Lehmann (1953) speculated that incubating hen bobwhites dipped their breasts in water to increase humidity at nest sites when they returned. Science has yet to confirm that belly-dipping behaviors serve primarily to ...