Some of our quail are taken by all the predation mentioned above but, nothing decimates like loss of habitat.
Here, in the South, farming practices have changed so much in the past years wildlife has a difficult go. Wheat is usally planted in the fall and when havested the following summer soybeans are planted and harvested in the fall. Double cropping keeps the farms solvent but doesn't provide much cover for nesting.
Another thing,not mentioned,is the tractor mounted rotary mower. Every farm has one and owner uses it to keep fence rows and field edges clean. I tell the folks at QF this is where we need to start - incenting the farm operators to stop needless mowing.
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