Autumnal journeys of turtle doves

Dr John Mallord from the RSPB’s Centre for Conservation Science has been tracking turtle doves over the last few years to learn more about their migratory journeys. Here he describes the journeys the birds made on their southbound autumnal migration in 2019. All migrant birds face numerous challenges as they move between their breeding to […]

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Turtle Doves – where are they now?

Guest blog by Dr John Mallord, Senior Conservation Scientist, RSPB Centre for Conservation Science Seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying, four calling birds, three French hens, and a partridge in a pear tree, it seems someone thought birds were the ideal Christmas gift to one’s true love. Not forgetting, of course, two Turtle Doves, symbol of true […]

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Lawford just prior to release (copyright Chris Orsman - RSPB Images)

Lawford the turtle dove returns home

Dr John Mallord, Senior Conservation Scientist for the RSPB, has some great news about Lawford, one of the satellite tagged turtle doves… With all the cold weather we have been experiencing in the last two weeks, you’d be forgiven for believing that we are stuck in an extended winter. Yet the evidence is there that […]

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A letter from Gordon

Gordon is one of the RSPB’s satellite tagged turtle doves and he has been telling the readers of the children’s nature magazine Eco Kids Planet about the long journey he is preparing for, back to the UK from his winter home in Africa, and the plight faced by him and his fellow turtle doves… As Gordon […]

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An update on the tagged Turtle Doves

Guest blog by Dr John Mallord, Senior Conservation Scientist, RSPB Centre for Conservation Science Titan our 2014-16 satellite tagged Turtle dove was a superstar; the first UK-breeding turtle dove that was followed on its entire migratory journey from his breeding grounds in Suffolk to Mali and back again – and back to Mali a second […]

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Meet Myrtle the turtle dove

One of Titan’s successors, Bird 161004, has a new name! He will from now on be known as Myrtle. Myrtle was the most popular name in the naming competition run by RSPB Science. Thank you to Claire Wilson, Anne Tomma, Howard Bayley, Jez Elkin, Hannah Gumbrell, Katy Spedding, Halina Morton, Susanna Allen, Ella Wooley, Julie […]

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Update on Titan

RSPB volunteer Heather allowed the RSPB Science team to catch and tag a turtle dove in her garden in 2014. Heather named the bird Titan, from Greek mythology – a god of strength, based on her observations of the dominant nature of the bird as he fed and chased females in her garden. Titan has […]

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