Okanagan's Most Unwanted
The Oxeye Daisy and the Californian Quail
What is an invasive Species
An invasive species is an organism (plant, animal, fungus, or bacterium) that is not native and has adverse effects on other environments and/or our health. Not all introduced species are invasive.
Physical Description
Flower:Typical daisy appearance; single flower heads at the end of branches have white rays and yellow disc flowers. Flower head diameter is approximately 5 cm. White petals are notched
Stems:Single to a few erect stems. Sometimes branched.
Height: 0.2-0.8 meters.
Fruits: Ribbed black achenes(simple, dry, one-sided fruit)
History
Impacts
Scientific Name
Other VERY Interesting Facts
The Oxeye daisy is one of fourteen plant species listed in the BC Weed Control Act as noxious weeds, which means that owners of private and public lands have legal responsibilities for their control. All these species have caused serious damage to our grasslands or pose a serious threat.
Californian Quail
Physical Description
History
The Californian Quail is a game bird popular among hunters, which is how it ended up in British Columbia. It was first introduced to BC near Victoria in the 1860. This was followed by other releases across the province. Some populations succeeded, especially on Vancouver Island, the Gulf Island and the Fraser Valley region, but quail are most common in the Okanagan Valley of the southern interior.
Impacts
Other VERY Interesting Facts
- California Quail nests can contain as many as 28 eggs. These large clutches may be the result of females laying eggs in nests other than their own, a behaviour known as "egg-dumping."
- The oldest known California Quail was 6 years 11 months old.
- California Quails can often get by without water, getting their moister from insects and succulent vegetation.
- The California Quail’s head plume, or topknot, looks like a single feather, but it is actually a cluster of six overlapping feathers.
- The California Quail digests vegetation with the help of protozoans in its intestine. Chicks acquire the protozoans by pecking at the feces of adults.