Improving northern bobwhite habitat by converting tall fescue fields to native warm-season grasses

Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) grasslands infected with an endophyte (Ne otyphodium coenophialum) are poor wildlife habitat, and birds and mammals f eeding thereon experience nutritional and reproductive problems. Converting tall fescue fields to native warm-season grasses (NWSG) is an accepted met hod to improve this habitat. The objective of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of techniques to kill tall fescue and establish NWSG to improve h abitat for the northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus). We tested combinati ons of prescribed burns and spring or fall pre-emergence applications of gl yphosate (N-[phosphonomethyl]glycine) or imazapic ([+/-]-2-[4,5-dihydro-4-m ethyl-4(1-methylethyl)-5-oxo-1H-imidazol-2-yl]-5-methyl-3-pyridinecarboxyli c acid) herbicide with and without a post-emergence imazapic application. P rescribed burns, herbicide applications, and NWSG plantings were implemente d in 0.1-ha treatment plots in spring and fall 1997 on 9 tall fescue fields in Kentucky. Resulting plant communities were described in fall 1998. Spri ng imazapic and glyphosate applications reduced (P < 0.05) tall fescue cove r compared to the untreated controls. Among the spring treatments, imazapic applications resulted in greater (P < 0.05) coverage of NWSG than glyphosa te applications. The best treatment to kill tall fescue and establish NWSG was a spring burn followed by a pre-emergence imazapic application and seed ing NWSG. Regardless of treatment, tall fescue conversion improved the habi tat characteristics of grasslands for northern bobwhites.