The National Biological Survey gathers, analyzes, and disseminates biological information helpful for good stewardship of natural resources. The NBS is designed to serve as an information clearinghouse for use by local communities, development interests, wildlife managers, land owners, and private and nonprofit groups. NBS researchers created a special computer program in order to provide the analysis, which will be made available to Federal and State agencies and conservation societies. Bobwhites, a popular game bird, are declining throughout the nation due to several factors, including loss of habitat and severe weather. Additionally, grasslands traditionally used for grazing cattle or growing hay are being cultivated for more profitable crops such as corn and soybeans.
Birds can be indicators of the health of the environment as a whole.
When statistics indicate a bird population is declining, it may provide a general warning about the health of an entire ecosystem. The CBC data analysis done by NBS will help researchers better understand shifting bird populations and their relation to the ecosystems in which quail live. Christmas Bird Counts are conducted throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.