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The European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) is a migratory member of the genus Columbidae, which includes doves and pigeons. It is a summer breeding resident in Europe (including the Canary Islands), parts of the Middle East, as well as western Asia and north Africa. It is absent as a breeding species from Iceland, Ireland (formally bred) and most of Scandinavia but does occur in spring and autumn as
an uncommon/rare overshooting migrant. Over much of its northern range,
there has been a very sharp decline in its population. In the autumn,
it migrates south to spend the winter in southern Africa. Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds |