01/17/95 --

This is following up on the introduced birds
categorization which I posted last wk. It is
not nearly as polished as Dale's re Carolina
Parakeet, however it does have some interesting
(to me at least ;-)) info re how long people
have been trying to get something to shoot,
even if the native spp are being extirpated
by the westward expulsion.
===

01/15/95 (ltbrd26)

Notes re introduced birds, from "Birds of Washington State"
by Stanley Jewett, Walter Taylor, William Shaw, and John
Aldrich; copyright 1953. Pages 218 to 231.

All notes are from this book: comments by Jewett et al., esp
re distribution are from 1953 or before. I have not made any
effort to update. Any changes made by me in summarizing are
enclosed in [brackets]. Is there a more recent source on
ranges, e.g. from Dept of Game?

[
Summary of WA introductions:
Gray Partridge -- first introduced, 1906.
Bobwhite -- first intro, 1871.
Scaled Quail -- first intro, before 1913.
California Quail -- first intro, before 1857; possibly
indigenous in limited areas.
Mountain Quail -- first intro, 1880 to 1890; possibly
indigenous in some areas, no definite evidence.
Chukar -- first intro, before 1942.
Ring-necked Pheasant -- first intro, 1883.
]

Quails and Pheasants: Family Phasianidae

Gray Partridge. Perdix perdix
First introduced into WA in 1906, when about 250 prs were
released in Spokane Co, where they have done exceptionally
well. Later it was introduced quite gen'ly thru the state,
thriving, except in rare instances, in the Upper Sonoran and
arid Transition Zones of eastern WA. Reports from King,
Pierce, Snohomish, and Wahkiakum counties, as well as from a
number of points in the Cowlitz Valley, indicate that it is
not increasing satisfactorily. It is said, however, to be
gaining in numbers in the vicinity of Olympia, Tacoma,
Chehalis, Grays Harbor, and Vancouver, and holding its own,
even under an open season, in Whatcom County.
Introduced in various places from 1906 to 1915,
introduced in numbers totalling between 5,000 and 10,000
over this time period. Largest importers being Chelan,
Grant, Okanogan, Skagit, Spokane, Walla Walla, and Yakima
counties.



Bobwhite. Colinus virginianus
The first record with which [Jewett et al] are familiar is
that of John C Phillips who reports the first intro on
Whidbey Island in 1871. Later 18 bobwhites were trapped on
Whidbey Isl and liberated in Puyallup Valley about 1877.
Bendire (1886) referred to intro of bobwhite near Pt
Townsend, where, owing to the mildness of the winters, they
were said to be increasing rapidly. These early intros were
moderately successful and bobwhites are still fairly common
in these localities, especially east of the Cascades in the
Yakima, Okanogan, and Walla Walla valleys.
In the early 1890's most of the intros came from S
Kansas, Okla, and N Texas. About 1906-7, large shipments
from Alabama and nearby gulf states. Since 1910 practically
all intros from N Mexico. Between 1913 and 1918, approx
5,000 bobwhites purchased by various co game comms, the most
active being Chelan, Grays Hbr, Spokane, and Yakima
counties. Varying degrees of success. Reports of bobwhite
thriving in Yakima Valley (1914).

Scaled Quail. Callipepla squamata
Introduced permanent resident in Yakima County.
Unsuccessfully introduced in Grays Hbr county. Info re the
intro of the scaled quail in WA is "decidedly meager." Some
importations were made previous to 1913 [Jewett et al.
surmise], as game laws of that yr give the species a closed
season in Yakima and Kittitas counties until 10/1/1915.
Yakima co game comm imported & liberated 471 scaled quail
1914-17. Grays Hbr game comm brought 188 from Texas in 1919.
In 1920 there was but one report of a few survivors -- rain
fall in Grays Hbr area 85 in/yr, whereas in Texas area, 21.
Scaled Quail moderately successful in Yakima and some
adjoining cos. Specimen from Yakima co from 1941.

California Quail. Lophortyx californica
Repeatedly intro'd throughout state; perhaps also indigenous
in SW Wash. Now permanent resident in small numbers gen'ly
in the Humid Trans Zone w of the Cascade Mts. It seems
probable that the Cal quail is altogether an intro'd
species, though its original status in the state is not
definitely known. Reports are that it has only been resident
of Puget Sound area since 1857, due to importation from
Calif to Olympia area. Also writings of Bendire refer to
intro nr Pt Townsend, 1886. Records of intros 1914-1918 in
Garfield, Walla Walla, and Yakima cos. Breeding & nesting
records from Goldendale, 1917; Everett, 1918; Wenas Valley,
Yakima Co, 1941; Seattle, 1908.


Mountain Quail. Oreortyx picta
Repeatedly intro'd throughout state; perhaps also indigenous
in W Wash S of Puget Sound. Now permanent resident
principally in the Transition Zone in the SE Mts and both E
and W of Cascades, avoiding the dampest locations of the W.
Altho the mt quail may be indigenous to the state there
is apparently little definite evidence to support such a
view. The earliest published record, based on hearsay, from
Cooper, 1860. He writes of attempting unsuccessfully (with a
dog) to find the intro'd birds around the prairies near Ft
Vancouver. Bowles (in Dawson, 1909) says several crates of
these birds were imported from Calif betw 1880 and 1890.
Nesting noted in 1915, 1919, 1922; Gig Harbor, Pierce co,
Orcas Island.

Chukar. Alectoris graeca
Introduced permanent resident in a few localities of dry,
barren, rocky habitat on the east slopes of the Cascades,
esp Pateros and Methow, Okanogan co; Pine Canyon, Douglas
co; Tekisin Cr, Kittitas co; Yakima River Cyn betw
Ellensburg and Yakima, and Oak Cr, Yakima co. Last release,
1942. By 1945-46, flocks of 200 to 400 were seen in areas
noted above, spreading as much as 20 miles from points of
introduction.

Ring-necked Pheasant. Phasianus colchicus
Introduced widely and now well dist'd in the state. Most
numerous E of Cascades. Introduced in WA about 1883. First
open season in WA, 1903. Fairly plentiful in every county in
the state. By 1885 referenced as breeding in the state.
Bendire, in 1886, refers to birds introduced on Protection
Island, with a few already being found on the mainland.
"Of late years [1940's and early 50's] there has been
considerable activity in the propagation of the [Ring-
necked] pheasant in WA, doubtless largely stimulated by the
steady decrease in native game birds and the accumulation of
increasing game funds ... By 1903 there was 3-month open
season in state. In 1916 the state est'd an experimental
game farm in Walla Walla, which, in that year, distributed
some 1,836 pheasants to the 30 counties which contributed
funds for its maintenance." Records show 746 indivs
liberated in 1913 and 3,318 in 1918.



=================
Alan Richards
alanr at ednet1.osl.or.gov
================