The diminutive migratory Turtle Dove is no longer a common sight during British summers but Operation Turtle Dove and the landowners we work with are working to change that. Turtle Doves need accessible seed and water close to dense thorny nesting habitat to enable them to have more nesting attempts each breeding season. Turtle Doves are ground feeders and need bare ground or low vegetation to be able to land and forage for seed. Tidier landscapes with fewer annual arable plants and less spilt seed means Turtle Doves take longer to get into breeding condition when they arrive back from Africa, where they spend the winter.
Part of Operation Turtle Dove, Eliza Leat works for the RSPB as a Turtle Dove Conservation Advisor across Suffolk and the Brecks, working with landowners to create more nesting habitat, foraging habitat and ponds to help Turtle Doves and other wildlife thrive.
As Eliza points out: "Increasingly we are diversifying our guidance so that landowners with woodland, caravan sites, orchards and even large gardens can all play their part in helping Turtle Doves."
This guidance is starting to show signs of success and, coupled with action to stop unsustainable hunting on their flyway to & from Africa, there is real hope that the Turtle Dove’s characteristic call will once again be a sound of summer in the British countryside. Eliza will share her insights into this beautiful iconic dove, its lifestyle, migratory challenges and what we can do in Suffolk to help boost its numbers
This Wildlife Live Webinar is part of a series of online events on a range of wildlife topics. It is scheduled to last approximately one and a half hours, including a presentation plus a questions & answers session. Suffolk Wildlife Trust uses the Zoom platform for its webinars and, when you book, you will receive simple instructions on how to join the event from the comfort of your own home. When booking, please input the same email you will be using on the night. Subtitles are available.
Visit the Suffolk Wildlife Trust website to find out more and book.