We used mitochondrial DNA to study the population structure and genetic diversity of the northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) west of the Mississippi River. We observed a lack of phylogeographic structure, high haplotype diversity, and low nucleotide diversity for northern bobwhites in this part of their geographic range. Despite the discordance between geographic patterns of mtDNA diversity and subspecies designations, we detected significant genetic differentiation among 4 subspecies, the plains (C. v. taylori), eastern (C. v. virginianus), Texas (C. v. texanus), and masked (C. v. ridgwayi) bobwhites. Evidence of significant isolation by distance and a latitudinal gradient with regard to the geographic distribution of haplotypes was also apparent. Neutrality tests, Bayesian skyline plots, and test of spatial expansion provided evidence of demographic and range expansion following the end of the last Pleistocene glaciation. Lack of phylogeographic structure indicates that morphological differences that are the basis of subspecies designations are of recent origin. Ecoregions may provide a better basis for management units than subspecies taxonomy for northern bobwhites in the western part of their geographic range. Our results indicate that much of the northern bobwhite's geographic range in the United States is the result of relatively recent colonization, which was a response to climate and habitat changes at the close of the Pleistocene. The northern bobwhite may be as vulnerable to fluctuations in climate as it has been to habitat and landscape changes during the past century. Ó 2014 The Wildlife Society.

A landscape-scale assessment of how bobwhite productivity varies in relation to weather does not exist for northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus). We collected age and sex ratio and body mass data from hunter-harvested bobwhites in 16 counties of South Texas (n ¼ 72,797 bobwhites) during 2001-2009 hunting seasons. We evaluated annual bobwhite production (juvenile:adult age ratios) as a function of cumulative April-August rainfall using National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather station data from Falfurrias and Hebbronville, Texas. We observed minimal among-year change in percent males harvested (51.0-54.5% male) and mean mass (156-160 g) of bobwhites across South Texas. We found no relationship between percent male or body mass and weather. We documented a positive, linear relationship between cumulative April-August rainfall and bobwhite age ratios (r 2 ¼ 0.94); we also documented a negative, linear relationship between summer (Jun-Aug) mean maximum daily temperature and bobwhite age ratios (r 2 ¼ 0.38). Our results suggest that rainfall is a landscape-scale indicator of annual bobwhite production in South Texas and can thus be used to manage annual expectations of quail hunters prior to the hunting season. ß 2012 The Wildlife Society.

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