Dozens Of Quail Released In North Hempstead To Combat Ticks

PORT WASHINGTON, NY — They may look cute. But these Northern Bobwhite Quail mean business.

Over the weekend, dozens of these ground-dwelling birds marched into Hempstead Harbor Trail to curb the tick population. They are an essential part of North Hempstead's broader environmental initiative to naturally control invasive species and disease-carrying pests.

"Lyme disease is a very serious condition caused by deer ticks, which are prevalent in wooded areas and grasslands all over Long Island," Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth said in a press release. "The Town is constantly on the lookout for natural methods we can use to control disease-causing pests that do not involve using toxic chemicals."

For the past five years, the Town has hatched and raised Northern Bobwhite Quails — the ticks' natural enemy — and then released them into local parks. This year, officials raised approximately 50 quails in the Town's flight pen at Clark Botanic Garden. The flight pen was built by Eagle Scout Daniel Reilly of Troop 423 from Plainview-Old Bethpage.