Turtle Dove
(Steptopelia turtur)
Alert Status: Red - 98% decline
Identifying Features: The turtle dove is a dainty dove, smaller and darker than the collared dove and slightly larger than a blackbird. Its upperparts are distinctively mottled with chestnut and black and its black tail has a white edge.
Average Length: 25-27 cm
Average Lifespan: 2 years
Average Wingspan: 49-55 cm
Beak type: Seeds
Feeding:
Natural: Fruits and seeds of wildflowers and cereals
How to feed: Turtle doves are generally ground feeders, although you may see them on a bird table and even at a hanging feeder.
What to feed: Small seeds and grains
Nesting: Like the nests of most pigeons, the Turtle Dove's nest is a flimsy platform of fine twigs.
Where to see: The turtle dove is mainly a bird of southern and eastern England, although it does reach as far as Wales. Best looked for in woodland edges, hedgerows and open land with scattered bushes.