The turtle dove, England's only migratory dove, has declined by 98% since 1970. Its purring call — once a symbol of English summer — is now rarely heard. Welfare concerns span UK farmland and the Sahel migration route.
Turtle doves face multiple welfare threats: starvation from loss of seed-rich arable weeds in the UK, thirst stress during migration across the Sahara, persecution by shooting in Mediterranean countries, and habitat loss in overwintering grounds. Project Turtle Dove research shows birds with access to supplementary seed and water sources have significantly higher breeding success, indicating nutritional stress is a primary welfare driver.