| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Length | 26-28cm |
| Wingspan | 50cm |
| Weight | 140g |
| Lifespan | 2 years |
The turtle dove is the UK's fastest declining bird species and is on the brink of extinction. A small and pretty pigeon, it breeds in lowland England and winters in Sub-Saharan Africa.
About
The turtle dove is a small pigeon, just a little bit smaller than collared dove. It breeds in woodlands, orchards and well-wooded parks, mainly in the warmer, drier south and east of the UK. Adults feed on cereal and wildflower seeds, but feed their young 'pigeon milk' - a regurgitated, milky substance from a food-storage organ called a 'crop'.
How to identify
Much more colourful than the collared dove, the turtle dove has an orangey-brown and black patterned back, a blue-grey head, pink chest and three or four black and white stripes forming a patch on the side of the neck. It has a purring 'turrr turrr turr' song (hence its Latin name, Streptopelia turtur), compared to the familiar 'hoo hoooo-hoo' of the collared dove.
Did you know?
Turtle doves are summer visitors, spending the winter in Sub-Saharan Africa and migrating more than 5,000 km to get there. They undertake a perilous journey - huge numbers are shot as they pass through France, Spain and Morocco, and also when they reach their wintering grounds in Senegal.