The soft purring of the turtle dove is an iconic sound of summer – but it has been disappearing from our countryside at an alarming rate. The population has declined by over 90% and it’s range has shrunk largely to eastern/south-eastern England, making the turtle dove the UK’s most threatened farmland bird.
The causes of this decline are unknown. Today we are launching Operation Turtle Dove, a three-year partnership project with Conservation Grade and Pensthorpe Conservation Trust, supported by Natural England. The project builds on research we already had underway to understand the causes of, and to reverse, this catastrophic population decline. The new partnership means we can join forces with other people working in this field to make a bigger difference, sooner.
Farmers are integral to the research, and both the short and long term fortunes of one of our best loved birds are dependent on farmers.
We can’t wait
The plight of the turtle dove is so urgent that we can’t wait for the full results of the research before taking action. We are working with farmers in turtle dove hotspots in England to establish plots of seed-rich plants and creating habitat to give turtle doves the best chance to breed successfully and get in tip top condition ready for migration at the end the summer. We are also researching other issues such as disease, changes in their wintering grounds, and hunting during migration, but wildlife frindly farmers here on our home turf will be the vanguard for the turtle dove's survival in the UK.
How you can help
If you think you can help turtle doves on your land, please check out our advice for turtle doves online, or contact your local Farm Advisor. If you see (or more usually, hear!) a turtle dove, call the Turtle Dove hotline on 01603 697527 to let us know where.