All species
summer visitor
Red-listedPigeons and doves
Turtle Dove
A beautiful, slender summer visitor with a gentle purring song, pinkish-brown plumage and distinctive black-and-white neck stripes. Turtle doves have declined dramatically across the UK.
Streptopelia turtur
Woodland edges Farmland Orchards Scrub
Size
26-28 cm
Wingspan
47-53 cm
Weight
130-180 g
Lifespan
2-3 years
Diet
Seeds, especially of weeds and cereals, plus small fruits and insects.
Song & Call
A soft, purring 'turrr-turrr' song.
How to identify
- Pinkish-brown plumage
- Black-and-white neck stripes
- Long tail with white tip
- Red eye
Conservation
Red-listed
Red-listed; one of the UK's fastest declining birds, needing flower-rich habitats for seed food.
