Jos Ashpole from the RSPB reflects on a growing partnership for turtle doves between the UK and the Netherlands. While we are now in the depths of winter, in this blog we’ll head back to a beautiful summer’s day when my colleague Tony Morris and I set out for the green Suffolk countryside. Our travels […]
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A year in the life of… a turtle dove
Dr Susana Requena from the RSPB’s Centre for Conservation Science explains how new satellite tracking technology is giving us an insight into the life of the turtle dove. Tracking and mapping With continuing advances in tracking technology, our capacity to track birds keeps breaking new barriers. One species that has benefited from smaller tags and […]
Continue readingVolunteers saving turtle doves
Guest blog by Caroline Spinks, Turtle Dove Survey Volunteer Co-ordinator Part of Operation Turtle Dove’s remit is to carry out research in turtle dove breeding grounds/habitats, much of this research relies upon volunteer surveyors heading out in the early hours to look for turtle doves through the breeding season. In Cambridgeshire, Essex, Kent, Norfolk, Suffolk […]
Continue readingAll the evidence points to turtle doves still being in real trouble in the UK
We know that turtle doves are in trouble. That is why Operation Turtle Dove work so hard with others to try and reverse the fortunes of this amazing bird. So when a recent scientific paper published in British Birds in September identified turtle doves as “Critically Endangered” in the UK, owing to their strong population […]
Continue readingNew research provides farmers with techniques to help turtle dove recovery
A new research study, conducted on six farms across East Anglia, has recommended a new agri-environment management option that could help in the recovery of UK turtle dove populations. The study, carried out by the RSPB and part-funded by Natural England (through its Species Recovery Programme), found that cultivating grown seed with a mix of […]
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