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Abstract
Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) is one of the most recognized game bird species in the eastern United States. However, their population been documented as in decline since the 1960’s because of habitat loss. There have been multiple studies on bobwhite breeding demography and population recovery efforts; however, most of these studies are conducted on managed private properties, leaving a knowledge gap on how to manage for bobwhite on public lands. Our objectives were to evaluate how supplemental feed affected breeding productivity and survival of in situ and translocated bobwhite on public lands. We failed to detect differences in adult survival, clutch size, nest success, or hatchability between fed and unfed sites. However, bobwhite nesting propensity was greater in fed sites which matriculated to increased fecundity at the end of the breeding season. These results indicate supplemental feeding in a food-limited landscapes could accelerate population recovery for reintroduction or augmented populations.