How Can Landowners Help Prevent Eyeworm in Quail Populations?

Preventing eyeworm in quail starts with understanding what made this issue so urgent in the first place. In the Rolling Plains, landowners and hunters saw bobwhite numbers struggling even when rainfall and habitat conditions looked promising. That question led the Wildlife Toxicology Laboratory at Texas Tech to years of focused parasite research, which helped identify eyeworms and caecal worms as a serious factor in wild quail decline. Today, that work has led to a practical solution: QuailGuard®, an FDA-approved medicated feed designed specifically for wild bobwhite quail.

At the lab, we approach this issue through long-term field and laboratory work, not guesswork. Our wildlife toxicology studies have shown that eyeworm infections are widespread in Rolling Plains bobwhite, with birds from 29 counties found to be infected. This marked the first documented eyeworm epizootic in wild quail in the region, highlighting how quickly these infections can spread under the right conditions.

The Story Behind the Solution

For many in the Rolling Plains, the concern started with something that didn’t quite make sense. Even in years with good rainfall and seemingly strong habitat conditions, quail populations were not rebounding the way they should have. That disconnect raised an important question: if habitat was not the issue, what was?

At the Wildlife Toxicology Laboratory, our work followed that question. Over time, it led us to a clearer answer. Eyeworm (Oxyspirura petrowi) and caecal worm (Aulonocephalus pennula) infections were widespread in wild bobwhite quail and placing added stress on birds already dealing with environmental pressures.

Across the Rolling Plains, infection rates were high, with eyeworm affecting a large portion of the population and caecal worms even more common. What we were seeing in the field began to line up with what we were seeing in the lab. These parasites were not just present. They were affecting vision, body condition, stress levels, and overall survivability.

That shift in understanding changed how we approached quail conservation. Habitat still matters, but it is only part of the picture. To support quail populations long-term, parasite pressure has to be addressed as well.

The Solution: QuailGuard®

FDA Approval

One of the most important milestones in this story came on May 23, 2024, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration formally registered our medicated feed treatment for parasites in wild quail. That approval followed years of collaborative work, field testing, and scientific study, and it marked the first FDA-approved medicated feed of its kind for wild quail in the United States.

What QuailGuard Does

QuailGuard® combines select grains with fenbendazole to target both eyeworms and caecal worms in wild bobwhite quail. When used twice each year, in spring and late summer, it can help reduce parasitic infection in wild quail populations and support more sustainable, huntable populations over time. Long-term use may also help reduce parasite prevalence in intermediate hosts across the landscape.

The Feeder System

QuailGuard is designed to be used with a specialized quail-safe feeder system that helps deliver the treatment to bobwhite more effectively. Together, the medicated feed and feeder system create a more practical way to manage parasite pressure in the field and support healthier quail populations over time.

How Landowners Can Help

Landowners do not have to conduct their own formal research to make a difference. A few practical steps can help support healthier quail populations:

• Use QuailGuard® and the recommended quail-safe feeder system where appropriate.
• Pay attention to changes in local covey numbers, bird behavior, or unusual declines from season to season.
• Stay connected with our ongoing research so management decisions are guided by current science.
• Reach out if you want more information on feed distribution, parasite research, or ways to support continued quail work.

This is where TTU environmental toxicology becomes especially useful. Good conservation is not only about identifying a problem. It is about building a real-world response that landowners can actually use. The work led by Dr. Ron Kendall and the Wildlife Toxicology Laboratory has done exactly that by moving from field observations to a practical treatment option.

Supporting Healthier Quail Populations

Preventing eyeworm in quail populations is not about one quick fix. It is about recognizing the role parasites play in quail decline and using proven tools to address that pressure over time. At the Wildlife Toxicology Laboratory, our parasite research has helped turn years of concern into a practical, science-backed solution.

To learn more about QuailGuard®, quail parasite research, or how to support healthier bobwhite populations, visit the Texas Tech University Wildlife Toxicology Laboratory or reach out for more information. If you are in a position to help, the lab also offers ways to support ongoing research and conservation work.