Rancocas
Well-Known Member
The ruffed grouse is primarily a northern bird. They range down here in the mid-south mostly by staying at higher altitudes in the mountains or on the Cumberland Plateau. However, "global warming" may be having an effect by making it simply too dang hot for the birds down here.
Hogs and coyotes could also be raiding their nests for eggs, as well as picking off the young birds.
Also, as has been said, the lack of thick regrowth after logging operations has put their preferred habitat in severe decline.
Of course it is generally known that ruffed grouse go through population cycles. Why this happens is still anybody's guess. There are highs and lows. The population seems to be at a low right now.
As for quail; they have been in decline ever since farming practices changed from the weedy, small family farms to the big, clean fields of corporations. Lots more spraying of toxic insecticides, too. And, again, the proliferation of coyotes raiding nests and pouncing on young birds.
Lets not forget the domestic cat, said to be the number one predator of small birds. I often get pictures of cats on my trail cam. They prowl night and day.
But, it is not only quail and grouse. Take notice of your local small song birds. There has been a severe decline in song birds right here in my own back yard. We feed them and in the past the little chickadees, titmice, cardinals, nuthatches, and others would flock around our bird feeder. Our feeder holds about a gallon of bird seed and I would have to refill it every 4 or 5 days throughout the winter.
Not this year! Few birds are coming in to feed. I haven't had to refill the feeder in two weeks.
Sitting out in the woods in my deer blind, I watch the birds. I see very few now whereas in years past the chickadees and titmice would be everywhere. Forest birds such as the towhees and thrushes have almost completely disappeared, at least around here.
Many years ago a woman named Rachel Carson wrote a book called "Silent Spring". It was all about the decline of birds, in her time mostly from pesticides. Her predictions have become real.
Our environment is in serious trouble!
Just as canary's were once used to warn miners deep underground of toxic gasses, I think our declining bird numbers are a warning to us that our world is sick.
Hogs and coyotes could also be raiding their nests for eggs, as well as picking off the young birds.
Also, as has been said, the lack of thick regrowth after logging operations has put their preferred habitat in severe decline.
Of course it is generally known that ruffed grouse go through population cycles. Why this happens is still anybody's guess. There are highs and lows. The population seems to be at a low right now.
As for quail; they have been in decline ever since farming practices changed from the weedy, small family farms to the big, clean fields of corporations. Lots more spraying of toxic insecticides, too. And, again, the proliferation of coyotes raiding nests and pouncing on young birds.
Lets not forget the domestic cat, said to be the number one predator of small birds. I often get pictures of cats on my trail cam. They prowl night and day.
But, it is not only quail and grouse. Take notice of your local small song birds. There has been a severe decline in song birds right here in my own back yard. We feed them and in the past the little chickadees, titmice, cardinals, nuthatches, and others would flock around our bird feeder. Our feeder holds about a gallon of bird seed and I would have to refill it every 4 or 5 days throughout the winter.
Not this year! Few birds are coming in to feed. I haven't had to refill the feeder in two weeks.
Sitting out in the woods in my deer blind, I watch the birds. I see very few now whereas in years past the chickadees and titmice would be everywhere. Forest birds such as the towhees and thrushes have almost completely disappeared, at least around here.
Many years ago a woman named Rachel Carson wrote a book called "Silent Spring". It was all about the decline of birds, in her time mostly from pesticides. Her predictions have become real.
Our environment is in serious trouble!
Just as canary's were once used to warn miners deep underground of toxic gasses, I think our declining bird numbers are a warning to us that our world is sick.
Hogs have been up there since the 20's and are not the problem. Still flush a couple in pockets here in South Cherokee from time to time
