TAMUC Professor Discusses­ University’s Quail Repopulation Efforts in Article

A man holds a newly hatched quail toward the viewer.

A&M-Commerce associate professor Dr. Kelly Reyna is featured in an article by the Tyler (TX) Morning Telegraph, where he discusses the critical issue of declining quail populations in Texas and across the country. The Ted and Donna Lyon Center for Gamebird Research at Texas A&M University-Commerce is set to tackle this problem with a planned 30-acre facility including research, education, breeding and visitor interaction centers.

Reyna emphasized the importance of quail as an indicator of grassland quality and the impact of declining quail populations on hunting and the economy. Quail numbers in Texas have dropped by 80% since 1967 due to habitat and climate changes.

The center's focus is on breeding a more resilient strain of bobwhite quail for restocking populations, with the goal of producing thousands of birds per month with wild bird characteristics.

The project aims to encourage landowners to integrate quail into their operations and emphasizes the need for biological research and habitat preservation.

Take a walk on the wild side with a bachelor's degree in wildlife and conservation science from A&M-Commerce.

(Photo by Matt Strasen | Texas A&M University-Commerce Office of Marketing and Communications)