I've got wild quail visiting my yard, and I want to make them feel more at home. I've been growing grasses, trees, and shrubs to provide cover, but I'm wondering what types of food or plants I can offer to attract them. I did buy a feeder and added some dried mealworms, but it doesn't seem like any birds have touched it in years. Any suggestions? By the way, I also see robins, finches, and doves around, and I'm located in zone 6b.
1 Answer
It's generally not recommended to feed wild quail, as it can disrupt their natural foraging habits. Instead of feeding them, focus on creating a habitat with native plants that naturally attract insects and provide seeds for them. You should be good with the cover you're already planting! Oh, and just a heads up, I've noticed robins tend to skip out on the supplements; they're all about foraging for bugs or scouring for fruit when they can.
That's good to know! I'll stick to native plants then. I've also noticed robins prefer bugs over feeders. It's funny because they love my cherries!