Nature Lab

Listen Before Sunrise

Fall covey calls help biologists estimate the density of bobwhite populations

Although best known for its iconic bob-white call, the northern bobwhite has a much more extensive vocabulary. Vocalizations include parental calls to chicks, alarm calls that differentiate between aerial and ground predators, and calls between coveys. The latter type — covey calls — can be used to estimate population densities. 

“Quail get together in groups in the evening and roost together,” explains MDC Quail and Upland Game Biologist Beth Emmerich. “They roost in a circle with their heads facing outward and their tails pointing inward. Then in the morning before sunrise, they call.” 

No one knows exactly why they call at this time, Emmerich says, but it seems to be a way for groups to figure out where other groups are on the landscape as they get up and start foraging. 

Described as koi-lee, the covey call sounds nothing like the standard bob-white whistle. The birds may call for just a minute or two or possibly 10 to 15 minutes. To listen to their call, visit short.mdc.mo.gov/4tM. 

Studies have shown that covey calls are given most in the fall, and in Missouri the peak time is October. During this month, MDC staff rise early and head out to key locations on our quail restoration landscapes (see below), arriving about 45 minutes before sunrise to listen. This early start is critical because later the coveys will be on the move and no longer calling. 

The best mornings to hear the calls have few clouds and little wind. If the listening spot is open (not surrounded by trees or close hills), one can hear quail up to 500 meters (or 550 yards) away, which covers about 200 acres. For each covey heard, staff mark the approximate location on a map. 

“The fall counts give you an idea of population size after the breeding season because all the chicks born in the summer are nearly full-grown by the time winter rolls around,” says Emmerich. “So that gives us an indication of how production went for the year, before the hunting season starts in November.” 

At a Glance

Northern bobwhites have been declining throughout their range for many decades due to changes in land use. Fall covey call surveys are one way that MDC tracks these populations. The fall surveys are conducted on the department’s quail restoration landscapes (QRLs). These areas include conservation areas and nearby private lands where the department, landowners, and partners have focused efforts for bobwhite habitat improvements to try to increase the population.

Learn more about QRLs at short.mdc.mo.gov/ZE4.