Mice and rats eat a lot of the same things that quail eat. They also live in the same habitat and worry about the same predators. In general, if the quail do well, so do the rodents, and vice versa. Most things we do to help quail will also help the rodent population. We survey for small mammals twice a year at the RPQRR – January and June using Sherman live traps and put tags in their ears to identify them if we catch them a second time. Overall, rodent numbers continue to be at “low” levels—much reduced from the irruption observed from 2015-16. January trapping results were down from the previous year, but the summer results are slightly better than in 2022. We are still seeing more mice and rats in the fed areas compared to areas without supplemental feed, though not as much difference as last summer. Good weather conditions this year may have ameliorated any benefits to rodents from supplemental feeding this summer. by Jon Purvis
