Turtle doves are a summer visitor to the UK. They are mostly found on farmland where they nest in thick scrub and feed on the ground on the seeds of wildflowers.
In the UK, turtle doves are now largely confined to southern and eastern England. The UK population of turtle doves has declined by 98% since 1967. Research has shown that a loss of suitable and accessible seed food has been the most significant factor in driving the decline of turtle doves in the UK.
We know that there are two things that must be done to recover the population of this long-distance migratory species in the UK: 1) improve productivity by providing the right seed food on their breeding grounds and 2) improve survival of birds on migration by stopping unsustainable levels of hunting. The good news is that we’re making great progress on both fronts.
Operation Turtle Dove, a partnership project between Fair to Nature, Natural England, Pensthorpe Conservation Trust and the RSPB is working with farmers and other land managers to provide suitable habitat for turtle doves in the UK.
If you own or manage land in eastern or southern England then you can play a vital role involved in helping turtle doves. Read on to find out how you can provide feeding and nesting habitat for turtle doves on your land.
A continuous supply of seeds from wild plants and crops from late April until the end of
August.
Both adults and chicks need small seeds of annual and perennial plants. Commonly used examples include clovers, medicks, fumitory, scarlet pimpernel knotgrass, chickweed as well as some crop seeds including oilseed rape and cereal grains.
They feed on the ground in weedy areas, especially where the vegetation is short and sparse, with patches of bare ground and where there are areas of spilt grain and stubbles after harvest.
Tall, wide mature hedgerows, areas of scrub or woodland edges with a thick shrub layer for
nesting.
Most turtle doves nest in mature, thorny broadleaved scrub or tall, thick hedgerows. They prefer thorny species such as hawthorn and nests are often associated with climbers such as traveller’s joy (wild clematis), honeysuckle or bramble.
