A summer song worth saving

It’s funny how one’s perceptions shift over time. This summer, I was lucky enough to spend time with friends in Italy and, while sitting outside and chatting, the gentle purring of Turtle Doves always accompanied our conversations. It was a sound I had almost forgotten I’d forgotten. Entirely familiar, but with a hint of novelty, I guess, because it’s sadly no longer part of my annual summer background at home.

The decline of Turtle Doves across the UK has been catastrophic and rapid. For people of my parents’ generation, it would have been a familiar sound in rural England. Reading accounts of the numbers recorded moving south along the East Coast in the 1960s and 1970s is frankly sobering.

And the science shows us why. Years of research by RSPB Conservation Scientists and others has shown that the leading cause of Turtle Dove population decline in the UK is a lack of suitable food – accessible wildflower seeds – from our farmed landscapes. This has resulted in a shortening of the breeding season, with fewer nesting attempts and, ultimately, fewer young doves to sustain the population.

And the science shows us what we need to do. Operation Turtle Dove, of which the RSPB is a partner, is working with farmers and many others to tackle this issue by providing the right food and habitat, and by bringing together a diverse group of people united in their love and appreciation for Turtle Doves.

A couple of years ago, I visited a farm in Suffolk where this work is being carried out. It was hooching with wildlife, and the farmer was rightly proud of what he had achieved. Our countryside conversations were wide-ranging and not without disagreement on specific topics, but his knowledge and work were inspiring.

It was a pertinent reminder that when attempting to save and restore a species, it is vital to work with everyone willing to help, irrespective of differences in other areas. And it isn’t just on this one farm. Operation Turtle Dove has a dedicated team of advisers who work with land managers across south-east and eastern England, helping them create suitable habitats and sharing their considerable knowledge.

But the story of the dove’s disappearance also goes beyond our shores. In recent decades, the decline has been exacerbated by unsustainable levels of hunting along their migration route through south-west Europe.

After years of campaigning, and following the introduction of a temporary ban on hunting in Western Europe and a subsequent decline in unsustainable hunting levels, there has been a rapid and encouraging start to population recovery. Another example of disparate groups working for a common cause and succeeding in the face of stiff odds.

Again and again, birds bring people together to bridge divides. Stories like that of the Turtle Dove offer us hope. They remind us that change is possible when people come together with shared purpose. Whether through farming, research, campaigning, or simply appreciating the gentle purr of a dove on a summer’s day, everyone has a role to play. The sound I heard in Italy was a call to action. If we act now, perhaps future generations will hear Turtle Doves not just abroad but, once again, in the heart of the English countryside.

Support our work to save Turtle Doves.