Northern Bobwhite Nest Recordings

Graduate student Randy Cass recorded vocalizations of nesting bobwhites with a digital recorder and microphone. The microphones were placed at the top of the nest bowl at least four days before hatching. From 14 nests we found the incubating parent began calling an average time of 24 hours and 52 minutes before leaving the nest. The minimum duration of calling was 16 hours and 16 minutes while the longest lasted 38 hours and 13 minutes! These vocalizations were very “soft” and consisted of several cackles and purrs (listen to recordings). Many of the recordings documented the female calling to the “paired” male in the distance, especially before leaving the nest.

Before hatching the parent’s calls stimulate the chick’s brains and begin the learning process known as imprinting. Without proper imprinting bobwhites behavior is altered for life!