Calls to help save endangered Turtle Dove

A call has gone out to landowners to sign up to environmental stewardship schemes and play a vital role in preventing the declining numbers of Turtle doves.

Turtle doves are summer visitors to the UK and were once a common sight across farmland.

But they have since faced a sharp decline in numbers with most recent figures showing the population in the south east has fallen by 86 per cent since 1994.

RSPB Agricultural Projects Officer for the south east, Hayley New, said:

"Turtle dove numbers are reaching drastically low levels; the prospect of losing this beautiful bird from our shores is becoming increasingly real.

"A reduction in breeding attempts from up to four per year to just one has had a huge impact on the population numbers."

In response to the turtle dove's plight, conservationists have embarked on a three year mission  to save one of the UK's most threatened birds from extinction.

The cause of the population crash is not fully understood and research is ongoing into factors affecting the species during their time spent outside the UK.

The general public are also being asked to play their part with record numbers of calls having already being made to the Operation Turtle Dove hotline on 01603 697527.