Birds

Turtle Dove Welfare: Europe's Fastest Declining Bird

The European turtle dove has declined by 98% in the UK since 1970, facing threats from habitat loss, agricultural change, and hunting.

Key Facts

UK turtle dove populations have declined from 125,000 pairs in 1970 to fewer than 3,000 today
They are legally hunted in 10 EU member states despite IUCN vulnerable status
Turtle doves require fumitory and other arable weeds as food that intensive farming eliminates
They winter in the Sahel zone of Africa where drought is increasing
Operation Turtle Dove is restoring nesting and feeding habitat on UK farms

Welfare Considerations

Turtle doves hunting in France, Spain, Portugal, and other EU states kills hundreds of thousands of birds from an already critically depleted population. Hunted birds that are not killed instantly die from shot injuries. The combination of legal hunting pressure and habitat loss creates a welfare and conservation crisis simultaneously. The loss of fumitory from intensively farmed fields means birds cannot find adequate food before migration.

What You Can Do

Support Operation Turtle Dove and RSPB habitat restoration programs
Advocate for a hunting moratorium on turtle doves in the EU
Create fumitory and seed-rich habitat on any arable land you manage
Donate to Sahel region conservation programs protecting wintering grounds
Engage with your MEP about enforcing the EU Birds Directive on turtle dove hunting