EFFECTS OF RELEASING PEN-RAISED NORTHERN BOBWHITES ON SURVIVAL RATES OF WILD POPULATIONS OF NORTHERN BOBWHITES

We examined survival, behavior, and social interactions of wild bobwhi tes (Colinus virginianus) on release areas, pen-raised bobwhites liber ated on release areas, and bobwhites on control areas without pen-rais ed bobwhites. We monitored 419 radio-tagged bobwhites representing wil d release-area, control-area, and pen-raised birds from fall to early summer, 1990-1992 in Alabama. Survival of wild bobwhites on control si tes (($) over cap S = 0.929/6 weeks) was higher (P = 0.004) than wild bobwhites on release sites (($) over cap S = 0.665/6 weeks) before pen -raised birds were released. Survival of all groups were compared for 22 weeks post-release; control (($) over cap S = 0.414) and release-ar ea bobwhites (($) over cap S = 0.358, P = 0.443) did not differ. Howev er, pen-raised bobwhites exhibited lower survival rates (($) over cap S = 0.178) than control-area (P = 0.001) and release-area birds (P = 0 .014). The majority of bobwhite deaths in all groups were attributed t o avian predators. All groups of bobwhites exhibited reproductive beha vior, and we observed successful cross pairing of pen-raised and wild bobwhites. We confirmed that due to low survival rates, pen-raised bir ds are unsuitable for restocking efforts; however, their use to supple ment harvest may be justified where wild bobwhite numbers are low or h unter use is high.