WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD: A QUICK LOOK AT THE QUAIL AND SMALL WILDLIFE STATION

By Tim Milligan, Landowner Services

While on a property installing a quail station the other day, it dawned on me that there is a simple way to explain what we are trying to do with this great new product, and a simple reason why it makes so much sense.

The property where we did the install is the landowner's country place, a piece of land the family loves but is not as centrally located as their city place, where they make their home --  a place close to jobs and schools and day-to-day conveniences.

Where I grew up in Austin was the city equivalent to good quail habitat. We lived where we did because of the area. There were nicer areas I'm sure, but none that I know of were quite as complete as my neighborhood. There were grocery stores, gas stations, a hardware store, banks, schools, a hospital, restaurants and a park, all within walking distance. We lived there because at  any given time we didn't have to venture far to get anything we needed and most things we wanted.

A quail lives life much the same way and by many of the same rules we do. They need a great neighborhood where they can put down roots and raise a family. The less they have to travel to get what they need, the better chance they'll have of making it from year to year and bringing up young.  If they can find a place that meets their needs for both habitat and food in close proximity, they'll stay there and not leave until something changes.

The Plateau Quail and Small Wildlife Station helps provide vital pieces of that habitat neighborhood and, by doing so, provides a boost to your quail and other small wildlife's survival by keeping their travel time to a minimum. If these vulnerable little species have to spend too much time out in the open looking to satisfy any one need, they will not last long -- or they will just find some place better suited to their way of life.

Whether you have done a considerable amount of work to create habitat, or have been blessed with great cover and nesting grasses from the very beginning, you may still be lacking a couple of key ingredients for your quail, songbirds and other small wildlife. Think about adding a grocery store and gas station to the neighborhood and just see if the number of families in the area doesn't increase over time. As it becomes more convenient to live there, you may end up with the most desirable wildlife neighborhood.

The Quail and Small Wildlife Station is available from Plateau and is a great fit for almost any property. Contact us to discuss your goals and habitat and see if the Plateau Quail and Small Wildlife Station is the right new addition to your neighborhood.

Welcome to the neighborhood. The Plateau Quail and Small Wildlife Station.