>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>Date: Tue, 2 Aug 1994 09:23:40 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Charles Easterberg <easterbg at u.washington.edu>
>
>When I first came to Seattle 25 years ago, california quail were common in
>the city and at the University. Over about 5 years, we trapped and
>removed over 100 feral cats from campus, including several road kills.
>However, several people feed cats regularly and systematically, and in the
>period of time this has gotten well under way, quail have disappeared from
>campus; I haven't heard one for years. Simililarly, I rarely hear a quail
>on the way to work along the Burke Gilman trail or in my neighborhood
>anymore. I suspect a big boom in cats as pets today vs two-three decades
>ago. Dogs are almost invariably confined to urban yards unless the owner
>wants to lose them, and could not be a significant cause of urban quail
>mortality. Cats, however, due to their independent and roving nature,
>rarely seem to do well confined to homes, although I know a couple which
>won't set paw 1 outdoors.
>
>I am concluding that where man goes with his cats, the quail is a certain
>casualty.

Tweeters--

I agree completely with Charles that "domestic" cats represent a major
problem to small species of urban/suburban wildlife. I would only like to
add that it is possible that species such as California quail are reduced
also because of the aggregate loss of habitat, as vacant lots are
developed, brush is trimmed, etc. Rare is the situation that proceeds from
developed to vacant lot! The quail also represents a special case of a
species very subject to population reduction by extreme winters; it is not
native to Washington, is well north of its normal range, and cannot migrate
to escape extreme cold. A ground feeder, it is out of luck when heavy snow
covers the ground, while arboreal species can survive. I wonder what the
status of this species is in cities in Oregon and California.

Two more points: adult quails are probably above the prey size limit for at
least lots of cats; and quail are very scarce at Montlake Fill and Magnuson
Park, where I have never seen cats (I realize they may be there
occasionally, but nothing like the populations in most neighborhoods of
homes).

Dennis Paulson