In the popular carol, the 12 days of Christmas are celebrated through recollections of extravagant gifts lavished upon one lucky girl by her ‘true love’. On the second day of Christmas (December 26th) the young lover is the recipient of two turtle doves. Of course it’s only a story, but the truth is you’d be you’d be lucky to see this bird in 2011. Numerous articles this year highlighted the sad plight of some of Britain’s farmland birds, Turtle Dove included.
Turtle doves are a late-Spring migrant to the British Isles where they typically breed among the hedgerows and pastures of arable farmland. However, their numbers are reported to have fallen so dramatically in the last few decades (an 88% decline since 1970 according to the RSPB) that they are now a UK BAP Priority Species. Like other species, including Kestrel, Lapwing and Tree Sparrow, its fate is intrinsically linked to widespread changes in the British farming industry. As a bird that survives solely on certain types of seed, land intensification and herbicide use appear to be the main threats to its survival. Persecution on its migration routes (particularly on Malta and Cyprus) and conditions in its West African wintering grounds may also contribute to this decline.
Whilst researching this post I came across this in-depth article from BirdGuides on the subject. Look at the title…great minds and all that!
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