By Mike Parker, PF Regional Wildlife Biologist

Growing up in the northern United States, each autumn I found myself observing huge flocks of ducks, geese and other migratory waterfowl flying south to spend the winter months in some distant warm place.

I was never quite as fortunate as those birds that would spend the winter relaxing on distant beaches in paradise, or at least that’s what my young mind thought. But at least I had an insulated house, a working furnace and plenty of layers of warm clothes to protect me and allow me to weather the snow and ice of another tough Michigan winter.

Pheasants and quail are not quite as fortunate as humans. Not only do they not migrate, they can’t crank up the furnace, throw on a winter parka or bake a hearty meal to help survive the hardships of winter.

As the leaves begin to turn, pheasants and quail begin preparing for the winter. Food is plentiful at this time and birds build fat reserves that will help them withstand the rigors of the coming months. Corn, sorghum and other grains, as well as weed seeds and fruits from shrubs such as dogwoods, plums, grapes and crabapples, are favorites during the fall.

As temperatures drop and snow begins to blanket the grasslands, pheasants and quail move to their winter habitat. Ringnecks will often travel up to a mile, and sometimes farther, to find secure winter cover. Large stands of switch grass, shelterbelts of conifers, shrubs and cattail swales provide protection from the snow and harsh winter winds. The closer the winter habitat is located to a food source, the greater the odds the birds will survive the winter.

Bobwhite quail have very high metabolic rates and can starve to death in as little as three days during severe cold, or when ice covers their food. On extremely cold days, quail may feed all day, stuffing themselves every 90 minutes, which is how long it takes them to empty their crops (a pouch in the esophagus in which food is held for later digestion). Ringnecks, on the other hand, can survive up to 10 days in good winter habitat without eating.

How Do Pheasants and Quail Survive the Winter?
Planting winter habitat and food plots is a great way to help birds survive winter. Fortunately, wildlife has its own creative ways to help survive, too. My mother always hounded me as a child to wear a hat when outside in the winter. Obviously, pheasants don’t have that luxury, but they have found a different way to keep warm. During extreme cold conditions, pheasants sleep and rest with their heads partially placed under their wing feathers. Who needs a hat when you have feathers? Pheasants will also burrow into the snow to keep warm, and can stay there several days if necessary.

Bobwhites have a unique strategy in the winter. Quail generally roost on the ground in grass or weedy cover. They can roost alone or in pairs, but most often they roost as a group in a ring. Like the spokes on a wheel, each bird positions itself with its tail toward the center and head outwards. Roosting in this pattern is not only a social behavior, but helps them survive in winter. The ring helps block winter winds and the birds stay warmer by receiving body heat from the adjacent birds. The ring is also a great way for the birds to keep alert for predators.

Pheasants and quail are tough critters and are very adept at surviving tough winter conditions. With a little habitat help from Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever chapters, we can help ensure our favorite game birds and other wildlife survive even the toughest winter conditions.

Learn More About Pheasants and Quail in the Winter
How about bird hunting in a new way? Grab the family, binoculars and camera and head outdoors. You can learn a lot about bird behavior by simply following their tracks in the snow. Begin by walking near a cattail swale, switch grass planting or brushy area where the birds often roost. You should be able to find melted rings in the snow where the birds roosted. Did the birds leave anything when they got up? Then just follow the tracks! Look for areas the birds are feeding, loafing in the sun and much more. Look for predator tracks and signs of other wildlife, too. Following tracks can give you a great idea how wildlife spend their days. You might be surprised by how many other great things you will observe walking in the winter!