"What is a Quail Condo?" or "How can I build one?"

These are the two common questions we get asked alot. I first want to say, that Quail Condo's are not a fix all, but they can help. Nothing can beat habitat, education, and land stewardship. Located below are a couple article's found on the web, that state exactly what a Quail Condo is, ... and how they are built. We as a chapter, will be posting a "How To: Picture Tutorial" on our wesite soon.

ESPN.com - All about creating quail condos

ESPN.com - July 8th, 2005

If you want to see more quail on your projects, condos may be the answer. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDF&G) has developed an innovative method to increase valley quail populations in southern Idaho.

This novel approach to quail habitat restoration uses "quail condos." The frosting on the cake is that they are easy to build and very economical for the results gained. Most of the credit for developing the condos goes to IDF&G wildlife biologist Andy Ogden. I have worked and hunted with Andy for over 20 years. Upland bird habitat improvement has been his specialty and avocation all those years. I interviewed Andy to find out more about his methods.

ESPN.com - Valley quail condo assembly instructions

ESPN.com - July 8th, 2005

Quail condos or thickets should be 10-20 feet in diameter and five to 30 feet tall. Spacing condos 200 feet apart will maximize quail habitat potential.

We are currently looking for something to take the place of the wire, that will stand up in the rain and wind. We need it to last for 3-4 years to let the growth plants in the condo start to secure themselves. Latace wood work is currently the material leader, and we are testing out this theory. Our idea on this is to minimize our "man made" fingerprint on the enviroment, but also build something that will last!

Quail Condo's (On The Cheap)

Himalayan blackberry (Rubus discolor) is a shrubby weed that is native to Eurasia and has naturalized throughout California in riparian areas and other moist, disturbed sites. This plant provides great cover and a food source all year long for the California Valley Quail.

Woods’ rose produces flowers and fruits at about 2-5 years of age. Good crops are usually produced every 2 years. Birds and mammals eat the fruits and disperse the seeds in droppings. The seeds remain viable for 2-5 years, and after warm or cold stratification, they germinate within 30 to 40 days. Woods’ rose also reproduces through rhizomes, root crown sprouts, and layering. Establishment for ornament or rehabilitation is from transplants, hardwood cuttings, and direct seeding.

You could plant a few cuttings of both in areas 10 - 15 yards apart, with several plants in a bunch. Make sure to spread them out, as stated above, these will spread. Most soil, or near a water source for best results.

Hawthorne Shrubs / Tree's (Crataegus) is deciduous and a member of the rose family. The common name for hawthorne comes from haw, which is an old English word for "hedge." The tree's name simply means "thorny hedge." After the British General Enclosures Act of 1845 hawthorn was used extensively as hedgerow because of its thorny nature and quick growth, angering peasants who no longer could enter the lands they previously roamed at will.