After more than a year of migration, a flock of turtle doves released in Devon has returned to southern England, offering a hopeful sign for the species’ recovery in Britain. The birds, known for their distinctive gentle purring call and hazel plumage, were once widespread across England and Wales but have experienced a catastrophic decline of over 95 percent since the 1970s.

The turtle dove’s sharp population drop has been linked primarily to the loss of hedgerow habitats and intensive hunting practices in parts of continental Europe. At its low point, a 2021 survey conducted by the British Trust for Ornithology estimated that only around 2,100 turtle doves remained in the UK.

The recent resurgence comes after a coordinated effort involving three rewilding projects, which saw 244 turtle doves released before their migration to West Africa and back. These were part of broader conservation activities including habitat restoration led by organizations such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), which has restored several hundred hectares of suitable environment across southern England.

European hunting bans on turtle doves in France, Spain, and Portugal have also played a significant role in protection efforts, reducing mortality rates during migration. Derek Gow, a farmer and conservationist who established Rewilding Coombeshead, expressed cautious optimism about the returning birds: “The fact that we are now recording returning turtle doves across multiple sites is incredibly encouraging.”

The turtle dove’s association with cultural and natural heritage is long-standing, celebrated in literature and religious texts as a symbol of love, devotion, and the arrival of spring. Their return may signal progress in reversing decades of decline, though ongoing conservation efforts remain critical to securing a sustainable future for the species in Britain.