Wildlife Welfare

Wild Turtle Dove Recovery Welfare

Turtle doves are one of the UK's fastest declining birds, facing threats from habitat loss and hunting on migration. Recovery requires international conservation action.

Key Facts

UK turtle dove populations have declined by 98% since 1970
Loss of seed-rich feeding habitat including arable weeds is a major UK driver
Illegal hunting across the Mediterranean kills millions of migrating turtle doves annually
Operation Turtle Dove and European LIFE projects are working on recovery
Supplementary feeding at farm level has shown benefits for local populations

Welfare Considerations

Turtle dove welfare is affected by habitat loss at UK breeding sites and illegal hunting during migration. International conservation action addressing both threats is essential for individual welfare and species survival.

What You Can Do

Support Operation Turtle Dove and similar conservation programmes
Advocate for an end to legal and illegal turtle dove hunting in Mediterranean countries
Choose food from farms participating in turtle dove conservation farming schemes
Learn about turtle dove ecology and the scale of the conservation challenge