Specie's Page                                               Garden and Hedgerow - Turtle Doves

Turtle Doves:

UK Status: Summer resident.

Habitat: This bird bird over winters mainly in the Middle east and Africa. Turtle doves rarely appear in Northern Europe before the end of April. In the past they prefer seemed to prefer fairly remote lightly wooded areas, especially with mature Silver Birch. They were quite Common on White Moss in Cheshire during the late fifties, and sixties. These days they are not to uncommon in suburban gardens with suitable trees to nest in.

Breeding: This bird builds a flat platform from interwoven twigs, it is smaller, and flimsier looking than that of the Woodpigeon. Two off white eggs are laid by the female, and both parents incubate the eggs.

Comment: This beautiful Dove was very common when I was a child during the 1950's and 1960'. Since then it has become increasingly scarce, and is now endangered in the British Isles. There are some captive breeding programs going on to try and increase their number. There are about three and a half thousand breeding birds during the summer in the British Isles.