Wild quail coming around my bird feeders

[FaerieGlynne]

I live in the Pacific Northwest and am fortunate enough to have wild quail coming around my feeders! I'm not sure if they are California quail or mountain quail.

Anyway I especially love them and was wonder if there was anything special I could do to encourage them to stick around. Not to domesticate, just to encourage.

 

[sourland]

Feed year round, and they may stay around.

 

[FaerieGlynne]

I have about 4 feeders I fill once a week and an old metal sled I wash and refill with water for a bird bath. I was going to cut out the wild bird seed (and do more of my own blend), but the or birds knock it on the ground and I think that's what brought them here I have been creating and adding to my mix to keep the stellar jays and flickers coming around too, so if there are some special treats they like I'm happy to mix it in. Right now I use
1 huge back of regular wild bird seed mix
1 medium bag of sunflower seeds
Bulk peanuts, about 3 lbs
1 6g bag dried meal worms

I also have out suet cakes but doubt the quail get much of that.

 

[DK newbie]

If they are anything like button quail, they love insects. They'd probably prefer live meal worms/other live insects though. But unless you know exactly when they are going to show up, so you can add the meal worms right before, I guess that won't work..

 

[FaerieGlynne]

Maybe someday. I have pipe dreams about growing my own meal worm for the ducks I'll get in April.

 

[Greg88]

small grain such as Milo is usually an excellent attractant.
might mix it up for nutrition purposes

 

[Greg88]

a good article from Oregon State U extension

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/how-encourage-quail-your-property

 

[FaerieGlynne]

That was perfect and everything I needed! Thanks!

 

[dc3085]

Please make sure that you dont let them build a dependancy to the food youre providing. Also please take care you arent just building a deli for your local predators.

 

[FaerieGlynne]

No more a trap then they'd have anywhere else, but the feeders are always full. I have a squirrel that throws a fit if everything is too empty. And I refill the water quite frequently in the summer when it's hot and dry. What exactly do you mean by preventing a dependency? I'm trying to understand why it's harmful to them. Because the feed isn't good for them?

There's a huge raspberry bush patch they dive into at the first sign of wind or anything more threatening there are roaming predators of course, but when I see a cat I always chase it away. It doesn't come around often.
They stop by every day though and are a real delight to me. Hopefully I'll see some babies in the springtime