Northern Bobwhite, Bobwhite Quail

At the tip of Texas, Rio Grande
valley, which is a subtropical
area and borders Northern Mexico,
Bob whites populate the citrus
groves and scrub chaparral
growth.

It is very comforting to hear their
unique whistle, espeisally in the
early mornings when one wakes
up .

Thw bieds are considered a fame
and eating bird also, but as the Valley
becomes moe urban and less rural,
the birds have made themselves
at home in the suburban atmosphere.

This will also help preserve the species
because it allows them to breed in peace,
and no hunting is permitted in
residential areas.

I miss this bird. When I was growing up, every summer evening their distinctive calls would echo across the wide Ohio fields. They're called "Bob White" because the words, pronounced as a question, sound similar to the call. The call begins with a mid-range whistle followed by a brief pause, rising into a chirp that seems to begin with a "wh" sound.

Bob Whites used to thrive in fencerows, but modern farming techniques (which eliminated fence rows) have destroyed much of the prime habitat for this bird. It is now all but extinct in many parts of my state. What used to be a sound as familiar to a country kid as the call of a cicada is now a "what's that?" kind of rarity.