Turtle Doves have received a lot of love this spring and summer – a huge thanks to all of you who are managing land for Turtle Doves. From creating seed-rich habitats to managing hedgerows and scrub sensitively and providing supplementary seed, we’re delighted to be working with so many dedicated people across East Anglia and […]
Continue readingGroundswell 2023 – a wave of support for Turtle Doves
At the end of June, Operation Turtle Dove headed to Hertfordshire and the Groundswell Regenerative Agriculture Festival. We were there to spread the word about Turtle Doves and how farmers and other land managers can help provide habitat for this special bird. Read on to find out more about this inspirational event. We know that […]
Continue readingWe’re heading to Groundswell – see you there?
Summer is here, the Turtle Doves are purring and our advisors have been busy working with farmers and other land managers to create high quality and much-needed habitats for Turtle Doves. Encouraging people to manage, protect and create Turtle Dove habitat in the UK is crucial for the recovery of the species. That’s why you’ll […]
Continue readingMeet the team
Across the Turtle Dove’s core range in southern and eastern England, the RSPB has a team of advisors who are working with a range of dedicated people who share our passion for saving the Turtle Dove. Rick Bayne, Operation Turtle Dove Project Manager from the RSPB, introduces the team. Operation Turtle Dove helps the UK’s […]
Continue readingTurtle Doves are back – and we’re celebrating some great news
The arrival of warmer weather and brighter days brings with it the arrival of much-loved migratory birds, including the Turtle Dove. In the past few days we’ve heard from excited colleagues who have spotted their first Turtle Doves of the year – what a joyful sight! We can once again listen out for the Turtle […]
Continue readingWorking with farmers to provide seed-rich feeding habitat for Turtle Doves
Turtle Doves will be heading off on their autumn migration to West Africa over the next few weeks. We’ve just had the great news that their migration will again be safer owing to continued hunting bans in France and Spain. Now is a great time to think about what you can do to welcome them […]
Continue readingTaking action to save turtle doves
Every spring we wait in anticipation for the first purring call of the turtle dove. For many, it’s a sure sign that spring is here. However, over the years it has become harder and harder to hear the familiar turr turr call as numbers of turtle doves has continued to dwindle. The results of a […]
Continue readingCrossing borders to learn more about turtle doves
Jos Ashpole from the RSPB reflects on a growing partnership for turtle doves between the UK and the Netherlands. While we are now in the depths of winter, in this blog we’ll head back to a beautiful summer’s day when my colleague Tony Morris and I set out for the green Suffolk countryside. Our travels […]
Continue readingAutumnal 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 […]
Continue readingReflecting on 2019
Thanks to dedicated research, we know that turtle doves are now far from the chilly UK. They have swapped the hedgerows and fields of the UK countryside for sub-Saharan Africa where you’ll find them in dense Acacia thickets where they roost and open grasslands and fields where the birds feed up. To find out more […]
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