For a Central American dictator, he died a natural death—he was shot in the back.”  ‒ Will Rogers

As Will Rogers noted, context is everything when interpreting “natural mortality.”  For a deer fawn at this time of the year, natural mortality might take the form of a coyote.  For a turkey hen, perhaps it’s a bobcat.  For a horned lizard, the Grim Reaper poses as a roadrunner.  For a turkey vulture, perhaps it’s a Dodge truck.

If you’re a hapless quail, you’ve got many, many enemies.. writes Dale Rollins in "Natural Mortality through a Quail's Eyes."

This issue also contains updates on Rolling Plains research, brood counts and spring whistle counts.