The increasingly rare but beautiful turtle doves will be returning to Kent after spending the winter in Sub Saharan Africa. From now (April-May) they should be arriving in East Kent and moving inland as they look for breeding territory.
We can expect to see the first nests between mid-May and mid-June and the first young between mid-June and mid-July. Look out for their distinctive mottled feathers, which help distinguish them from the collared dove!
Some key facts:
- Turtle doves in the UK have declined by 94% since 1995.
- While Kent is a UK stronghold for turtle doves, there may be as few as 200 pairs nesting in the county.
- The small seeds of agricultural weed plants are valuable food for turtle doves.
- Turtle doves need ponds or other water sources close to their nest site for drinking.
