George Willett Discusses Quail Nature
in
Los Angeles County, 1912 to 1933:
Catalina Island, San Clemente Island, and Mainland

George Willett, first curator of the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, knew more about the birds of southern California and the Channel Islands than any other scientist living in southern California. His opinions on Quail demonstrate the unique ability of this gentleman to assess the environment of Los Angeles and southern California at a unique time in our history of this great state. George Willett wrote two major monographs on the birds of southern California. The first monograph appear in 1912, and then 21 years later, in 1933 was revised. Both reports were edited and accepted for publication by scientists at the University of California in Berkeley (Joseph Grinnell) and the California Academy of Sciences (Harry Swarth).

The ideas, philosophy, science, and thoughts of George Willett regarding the Quail are necessary for all of us as citizens and good folk to take notice of for our new Los Angeles county which promises to be more environmental with each passing year since the new Millenium.

Presented to you, the reader and educated citizen of Los Angeles, are the complete quotes regarding the Quail from George Willett's two monographs. Please note that Valley Quail is the same name as stating California Quail:

1912:
"Valley Quail. Common resident of the lowland and foothill country, except the marsh lands, but not so generally abundant as formerly. This is the principal game bird of southern California and its numbers have been considerably reduced by hunters. If not hunted too peristently it takes kindly to civilization, nesting commonly in grain fields and near farm houses and even breeding in parks and gardens in the cities. It is common on Catalina Island and is occasionally seen on San Clemente. It is said to have been introduced on the latter island. J. Grinnell says that six specimens taken by him on San Clemente in May, 1897, are slightly lighter than birds from Pasadena."

1933:
"California Quail. Has adapted itself well to changed conditions and is common in vineyards, orchards, gardens, and parks. Has been introduced on San Clemente Island."

1933:
"Catalna Quail. Abundant resident on Catalina Island. Habits similar to those of California Quail. . . Characters further set forth by Grinnell (Condor, 10, 1908: 94) and Dickey and van Rossem (Condor, 24, 1922: 34). Though there seem to be slight average differences between this form and the mainland bird, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to correctly segregate specimens, if the locality of capture was unknown. The writer fails to perceive any benefit to ornithology in the recognition of such races by name."

1933:
"Gambel Quail. According to Grinnell, Bryant, and Storer, in 1912, three hundred birds were liberated in Los Angeles County, one hundred in Orange County and a smilar number in Ventura County, it seems reasonable to believe that records since that time are of introduced birds or their descendants. The species has been reported from San Clemente Island by J.R. Pemberton (Condor, 33, 1931: 219) and L.M. Huey (Condor, 34, 1932: 34). Huey states, on authority of C.T. Howland, that Gambel Quail were released on San Clemente in 1912."

As I research more about Quail, the Channel Islands including Catalina Island, the Department of Fish and Game, hunters, and the early scientist-naturalists, the conclusion is clear that people have been spreading Quail around this great state, willy-nilly, wherever they please. Both private citizens and State employees have been involved in spreading Quail all over this state. Fortunately, most of these transplants have failed. However, a number of them have succeeded and now need to be undone. Citizens of California need to know the truth of when a Quail is natural or un-natural in this state. For example, Quail are now found on San Clemente Island, San Nicolas Island, and Santa Cruz Island, but in all three cases they are not natural, and need to be removed. Fortunately, Anacapa, Santa Barbara, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel Island do not have any Quail. Lastly, Catalina presents a particularly confusing dilemma. Some scientists, Joseph Grinnell, has stated that the Quail is a special island endemic species, but he also had to convince himself, because he knew that might have been introduced there by humans. George Willett, after having had many more specimens to examine than Joseph Grinnell had to examine, has concluded that it is not a unique race of Quail on Catalina. What is really needed now is a DNA-genetic analysis of Quail On Catalina, Santa Cruz Island which has a population of these Catalina Quail, and mainland southern California along the coast. In this way, we can ascertain with certainty, if the Quail on Catalina have differentiated into a unique subspecies or race. Because Quail do not occur naturally on any of the other seven Channel Islands, it seems clear to this writer, that the Quail on Catalina are also not natural.

For comparison, the Santa Cruz Island Jay has shown clear morphology and genetic differences so it is definitive that it is a separate species and race. We must use the same criteria for evaluating the Quail of Catalina Island as we do the Jay of Santa Cruz Island.

In conclusion, science must consider the Quail status of Catalina in limbo. It cannot be considered native or non-native at this time. It's status is unknown. If morphology is used alone, it no longer can be considered an unique species as Grinnell has shown when he downgraded it to only a subspecies. And then later, George Willett has expressed his scientific observations, as quoted above, that it can no longer be considered a separate subspecies or race. There is some good scientific rationale to consider the Quail of Catalina Island as an alien invasive species, totally un-natural to Catalina. We know that at least one other mainland animal on Catalina is also not natural, that being the Mule Deer. This Deer, found widely throughout the Santa Monica Mountains and San Gabriel Mountains, was brought by Mr. Wrigley, in cooperation with the Department of Fish and Game, to Catalina Island. Interestingly, the Deer, like the Quail, is a game species that is hunted. Thus, the Quail and Deer present a political dilemma, because lobbyists in favor of hunting and the NRA (National Rifle Association) want the Deer and Quail to remain on Catalina so they can fire their guns at them. Is Catalina Island really a paradise or sanctuary, or preserve, for special island species, or merely a pleasure hunting ground for gunners. Keep in mind, that Turkey, Buffalo, Pheasant, and Antelope, were brought to Catalina by Mr. Wrigley, for hunting and shooting, as in the demonstration of the great American West and its sick cowboy-western mystique. It is interesting that the Catalina Conservancy, supposedly an organization to conserve nature with tax-exempt status, is really a money-making apparatus machine for hunters, gunners, and giving out mis-information and doing an un-education of tourists and visitors to Catalina Island. How did this state go so far astray, as to give the Catalina Conservancy tax-exempt status. Remember that there is a Rancho Escondido, still privately owned by the Wrigley family, where they keep their horses boarded, so they can pretend to be in the mystique of the West and be a cowboy or cowgirl, when this era is now dead-and-gone. Especially on an island, is the cowboy western mystique a schizophrenic human behavior. At least on the other Channel Islands, managed by the National Park Service, the horses, deer, hunters and gunners, and other non-natural species are being removed. Perhaps, Catalina would be better managed as a state park or national park. Is it right for the LA County Parks and Recreation to continue to be involved with the Wrigley family in their tax-exempt status. There is a lot of property taxes lost to the County of Los Angeles by no property taxes for this Wrigley hunting and tourism business, under the pseudonym of the Catalina Conservancy. Did you know that there is still a Santa Catalina Island Company, that owns 12% of Catalina, and wants to develop it for tourism and create a second new city on Catalina at the Isthmus (Two Harbors). Also, the Catalina Island Company, owned by the Wrigley family, does quarrying of rock from the island. Periodically, citizens, tourists, and visitors, are shocked by what feels like an earthquake. The city of Avalon is jolted with a big jerk, as another large dynaminte explosion occurs, and a portion of Catalina Islands collapses toward the sea. The large trucks and tractors pick up the big boulders onto barges that bring the rock to San Pedro and Long Beach. Aerial photographs taken by plane over this part of the island show these long cracks that go for miles up the mountain side showing that further landslides will be created by the dynamiting, even after the dynamiting and quarrying comes to an end. The Wrigley family has done more than anyone else, the greatest damage to the ecology and beauty of this precious jewel in the Pacific. I almost forgot to tell you that the Wrigley family built the ugly Hamilton Cove Condominiums that you see when your boats comes to Avalon. It is supposed to look like Greece in the Mediterranean Sea, but we are in the Pacific. This architecture is so un-California, it is almost impossible to imagine it was allowed to occur. Why did the California Coastal Commission approve that monstrosity which impacts the coast. It is also now not allowed by the public to land their kayaks on that public beach, nor swim, nor sunbath. The Commission approved part of the shoreline of Catalina to be de-facto, private property. Furthermore, these condominiums at Hamilton Cove are now known by geological scientists and engineers, to not be structurally safe and have developed large cracks in many of the buildings. But perhaps most disheartening, from the persperctive of nature, is that early naturalists, scientists, wildflower enthusiasts, and bird watchers, have lost Hamilton Canyon and Hamilton Cove as a natural paradise to walk and explore. Why did the Wrigley family have to destroy this part of the island as well. They already destroyed Pebbly Beach for quarring and their barge port. And now the Wrigley family would like to destroy Two Harbors, Emerald Bay, and who knows what other parts of the island the Wrigley are intent on destroying. They continue to destory the interior of the island with the large reservoirs that cover over streams, and the livestock buffalo rape the soil and vegetation, while killing bird nests of rare endemic birds. The only natural vernal pool habitat, Echo Lake, has been destroyed by Buffalo wallowing, trampling, and defecating in the water. The campgrounds that the Wrigley family own are mismanaged to the public. The rates to camp at these locations are exorbitant for such a wealthy family. It discourages campers rather than encouraging them. The Wrigley family now has an 80 year legacy of destruction of Catalina Island. How much longer do we let the Wrigley family have control over the Catalina Conservancy? The influence and favors never seem to end, and the power of the Wrigley family as lobbyists is more corrupt than ever. If George Willett, were to come to Los Angeles today, in a time capsule, for a visit to Catalina, nearly 100 years after his first visit in 1904, he would be shocked at the destruction on Catalina by the Wrigley family. He would lament that birds that he knew to be there such as the Bushtit. He would be glad to learn that the Bald Eagle and American Osprey were being attempted to be returned, even though the Wrigley family was opposed to it. He would be shocked that Buffalo, Deer, Antelope, Turkey, Pheasant, and Pigs were brought to help destroy Catalina by none other, than the Wrigley family. He would be shocked that the Wrigley family build a golf course on top of a beautiful stream canyon and terrace meadow. He would say, how did civilization go astray on Catalina? He would be surprised at the laws that state the Sea Otter and Seals cannot live to breed and have families on Catalina? George Willett would suggest that the Wrigley family give up on the Buffalo and Deer hunting and tourism, and instead focus on the marine mammal and bird tourism potential of having Eagles and Otters at Catalina. The opportunities for whale watching and dolphin watching far surprass the exotic buffalo. By the way, the buffalo are dwarfed, genetic misfits that are inbred, with crooked horns, different leg lengths, small size, female are sometimes reproductively sterile, malnourished, pumped with shots for their illnesses due to their weak immune systems. Why would the Wrigley family continue to be so inhumane to these poor buffalo? I'm sorry George Willett, that we, who live in Los Angeles, have done so much to destroy the nature and wildlife that you so loved and wrote about in Los Angeles County, including Catalina Island.