According to Billy Dukes, Small Game Project Supervisor with SCDNR, bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) are considered a game bird in South Carolina but are considered a species of concern due to population declines over the past several decades statewide. Though several surveys have been conducted that show the decline rate at 4.5-5% per year over several decades, these surveys assess at a very large scale and do not detect "local" or smaller scale population changes. Quail has declined because they lay their eggs on the ground. Most birds lay their eggs in trees and are able to use the tree's (0 comments)