A Turtle Dove was in the farmhouse valley this morning, our
first since 2007 and only the sixth record of this species in
the last ten years. They used to be a relatively common spring
and autumn migrants here on the Pembrokeshire Islands but have
become scarse in recent years. Ongoing research indicates that
potential causes of the decline may include changes in diet
driven by alterations in farming practices in the UK and in
their African wintering grounds. Hunting in the Mediterranean
during migration and the disease trichomoniasis, (common in
pigeons and doves) could have also contributed. The Turtle
Dove's range has shrunk largely to eastern England, making the
turtle dove the UK's most threatened farmland bird. Find out
more about Operation turtle dove, a three-year project in
partnership with Conservation Grade and Pensthorpe Conservation
Trust, supported by Natural England. You can also report your
sightings of Turtle Dove on this website.