Page 238 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

PIGEONS AND DOVES
Order Columbiformes Family Columbidae Species Streptopelia turtur
Turtle Dove pale grey
head

blue-grey barred black-and-
midwings white neck patch
blue- ADULT dark spots
grey on bright
rump brown back

IN FLIGHT
pink
blackish breast
tail with
white tip pale brownish
head and neck white
belly
dull neck
patch ADULT
less regular
pattern dull brown
body

JUVENILE FLIGHT: light, buoyant, springy, often rolling
sideways; wings angled back, flicking downward
beats; also glides on flat wings in display flight.
nlike the Collared Dove, the Turtle Dove remains
Ua country bird, inhabiting well-wooded areas and
farmland with large hedges. Flocks form on stubble
fields in late summer, eager for spilled grain.The Turtle
Dove is also seen along coasts in spring, migrating in
small groups as it returns north from Africa. It is in
serious decline as agricultural intensification takes
hold over most of Europe, and its purring song, which
used to be a frequent feature of high summer, is now
heard less often.
VOICE Deep, purring, pleasant crooning rooorrrr
rooorrrr.
NESTING Small platform of thin twigs in hedge or
tree; 2 eggs; 2 or 3 broods; May–July. HEDGEROW SPECIALIST
FEEDING On ground, takes seeds and shoots of The loss of tall, dense hedgerows has caused a widespread decline in
arable weeds. Turtle Doves.
SIMILAR SPECIES
OCCURRENCE
KESTREL 32 COLLARED DOVE Summer visitor to most of Europe
similar in flight; paler, more see p.235
see p.140 except Iceland, Ireland, and
uniform bigger
Scandinavia, declining in numbers.
bigger In wooded farmland, broadleaved
narrow woods with sunny clearings, and
tail
thick, old hedgerows.
longer,
straighter Seen in the UK
wings J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 26–28cm (10–11in) Wingspan 47–53cm (18 1 ⁄2 –21in) Weight 130–180g (4–6oz)
Social Small flocks Lifespan Up to 10 years Status Declining
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