The RSPB recently teaming up with amateur wildlife watchers across the UK to help in their search for one of the countries most threatened birds. The Turtle Dove is mostly known for it’s role in the ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ and not due to regular sightings, but thanks to ‘Operation Turtle Dove’, 429 sights on the elusive bird have been called in.
The Turtle Dove is the UK’s most threatened farmland bird, but due to this joint campaign by RSPB, Conservation Grade, Pensthorpe Conservation Trust and Natural England, sightings from far and wide show that their are more of this bird than predicted. Sightings included –
- 112 in Norfolk
- 69 in Suffolk
- 61 in Cambridgeshire
- 32 in Essex
- 29 in Kent
- 20 in Lincolnshire
There were even two sightings on the Welsh coast, an area not usually known to house turtle doves. Since the 1970’s, Turtle Dove numbers have dropped dramatically, with less than 10% left across England and Wales. A change of diet from small seeds to crop seeds appears to be the main cause, though nobody is quite sure how a 90% drop can be blame solely on dietary requirements.
Alison Gardner from Operation Turtle Dove, said –
It’s great that we’ve already had so many people supporting Operation Turtle Dove and looking out for these birds. At this time of year, just before turtle doves head off on migration, juveniles and family groups are easier to spot so we’re hoping for some more reports before the season’s out and are appealing to anyone who spots a turtle dove to call and give us as much information as possible.
Operation Turtle Dove has been a great success thanks to the input of the general public. Here’s hoping that thanks to this increase of sightings, more can be done to save this beautiful bird from extinction.
If you would like to learn more about the work of this amazing wildlife charity, or would like to purchase an RSPB membership, check out our dedicated page where there is more information on how you can help protect rare birds and their habitats.
