Species · GBIF taxon 2495708
European Turtle Dove
Streptopelia turturAlso known as Common Turtle Dove, Turtle Dove
European turtle doves are slender, migratory pigeons celebrated for their soft, purring song that echoes through open woodlands and farmland during the breeding season. They undertake remarkable long-distance journeys each autumn, crossing the Mediterranean and Sahara to winter in the Sahel region of Africa. Their numbers have declined sharply due to habitat loss and intensive hunting along their migration flyways.
MigratoryVocal
—observations
—countries
—peak records
VulnerableConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXVulnerableRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Cereal grains
- Wild flower seeds
- Fumitory seeds
Predators
- Eurasian Sparrowhawk
- Peregrine Falcon
- Feral Cats
ThreatsHabitat loss, agricultural intensification, and unsustainable hunting during migration
HabitatsOpen woodlands, hedgerows, parklands, and agricultural fields
Life span5 to 10 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyColumbidae
- SpeciesStreptopelia turtur
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- What to notice
- Look for the dusty pink breast, orange-and-black patterned wings, and a striped black-and-white neck patch.
- Support conservation
- Keep a respectful distance from active nests and report sightings to local conservation databases to aid monitoring.
Responsible observation
- Listen for the purr: Identify their presence by their distinctive, rhythmic 'turr-turr' purring call.
- Keep your distance: Avoid approaching nesting sites in thick hedgerows to prevent nest abandonment.
Ecological Equivalent (c) Paul Danese, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative stevem4560 / CC BY 4.0 · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Marcelo Cabrera, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Marcelo Cabrera · cc-by
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