Try singing the Christmas carol without this line – it just doesn’t work! Yet imagine sitting around the Christmas tree with the children explaining that, not so long ago, the mythical turtle dove was once a breeding summer visitor that was relatively common.
Now let’s hear the shocking facts. Visitor Experience staff do lots of talking but underlying the words is the hard-earned scientific data on which the RSPB bases all of its work. Much of this is gathered by our staff, together with other organisations such as the British Trust for Ornithology who share our passion. Turtle doves are our fastest-declining birds and the breeding population has plummeted by 96% since the 1970s. Numbers halve every six years and at this rate the bird may well be lost as a breeding species in less than two decades.
Here at Frampton Marsh we still have turtle doves and yesterday I was able to show a visiting couple their very first one, sitting on a post at the end of the visitor centre car park. During a day off last week my guest and I were treated to an adult and two juveniles perched up on fence wires near the reservoir. Nevertheless, our surveys indicated four pairs last year; now there are two!
Turtle doves migrate to regions south of the Sahara and spend two thirds of their time outside the UK. They face a range of threats along the 3,000 mile migratory route to West Africa, including hunters in the Mediterranean, and their difficulties on the wintering grounds are complex. As part of the Birds Without Borders project, the RSPB is working along the doves’ migratory flyway to understand more about the causes of their catastrophic decline and is a lead player in coordinating the efforts of conservation partners in Europe and Africa.
Here in the UK, research shows that adult turtle doves are producing half as many chicks as they were in the 1970s and lack of available weed seeds along with a switch from weed seeds to cereals has meant a severe reduction in nesting attempts. In partnership with other dedicated conservation bodies, the RSPB is engaging with landowners across the birds’ core range to secure more suitable habitat, especially areas with increased food availability in the form of weed seeds during the breeding season. This habitat will also benefit a whole range of farmland wildlife. The retention, management and planting of hedgerows as safe nesting refuges for turtle doves will provide shelter for other declining farmland species such as grey partridges and tree sparrows. Here at Frampton Marsh, a pollen and nectar seed mix is being used which contains fumitory, a plant that is particularly beneficial to turtle doves and a supportive neighbouring farmer has encouraged the birds to frequent and forage in a particular area on his land by sowing this mix.
A few weeks ago, a visiting birder was asking “what’s about”. I gave him the whereabouts of spring passage Temminck’s stints and then mentioned where the good spots were for turtle doves. He headed straight for the latter. Intrigued, I asked why. “Because in fifteen years I’ll still be coming here to see Temminck’s stints in spring” came the reply. This is one of our hardest battles, being fought on three fronts: here, along the migration route, and on the doves’ wintering grounds. It is our duty to overcome what seem to be insurmountable odds. I, for one, want to be telling children that the only reason my true love can’t come birding with me and see two turtle doves, is because they’re part of an increasingly healthy and secure population that’s spending Christmas in West Africa!
For more information about the work that is being done to save turtle doves, visit operationturtledove.org
Murray Brown
Visitor Experience Intern
photo by Toby Collett
PS I just found two turtle doves feeding in the wild bird seed mix that has been sown along the Reedbed Trail...there’s a glimmer of hope!