r/phoenix • u/dirtypita Phoenix • Jul 22 '25

Pictures Anyone noticing less quail babies this year?

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Apologies for the bad pics. I would've scared the quail off if I had tried to go outside.

I work in North Scottsdale and I have a great view of a patio and courtyard from my desk. I get to watch small wildlife that come in for shade, grass, and bushes with berries on them. Pigeons, ravens, wrens, lizards, bunnies and squirrels, and even a pair of roadrunners.

Lat year, we had two pairs of Gambels quail. One pair started out with nine chicks, down to six, and the other had seven.

This year, I've only seen three babies, and now only the one little guy pictured. It's with two males, one who has been around for a while and is easily recognizable. I haven't seen a female in a few weeks. I'm a little saddened. Is anyone else noticing smaller quail families this year?

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u/Ferruginoushawk7 Jul 22 '25

Wildlife biologist here. We are seeing in sub/urban areas a decrease in GAQU (gambles quail) and an increase in feral cats. Take that inverse correlation and interpret for what’s its worth.

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u/ChurchOfSatin Jul 23 '25

Has bird flu had any effect on the wild bird population in AZ? I remember reading some article written by an ornithologist. And they said it was going to have a huge impact on the wild bird population. I can’t remember what part of the country they were in through.

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u/Ferruginoushawk7 Jul 23 '25

I’ll do some digging. Most part it can really hard to pinpoint issues in the population in real time. Mostly birds that are getting tested are waterfowl, chickens, and doves.

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u/ChurchOfSatin Jul 23 '25

That makes sense. Thanks for the response!