Bristow et al. looked at the effects of cattle grazing on the habitat selection of Montezuma quail in Arizona. The most important aspect of quail habitat was ample hiding cover followed closely by the presence of forbs such as yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentes) and Gray's woodsorrel (Oxalis grayi). The authors found no difference in numbers of quails encountered on moderately grazed coveys and those found in ungrazed coveys. In fact, moderate cattle grazing can increase the amount of forbs in an area which can improve the quail habitat. The authors did urge that overgrazing can have a drastic effect on cover height of bunch grasses, which could lead to increased predation of the quail, especially to raptors.
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