Turtle Dove Study Group
Study species: Turtle Dove
Project organiser:
Status: Active
The Turtle Dove Study Group aims to facilitate broad cooperation between turtle-dove researchers so that we can continue to build the evidence base to develop conservation actions for the species.
Turtle Dove Study Group
The Turtle Dove Study Group aims to provide a platform to enhance and support collaboration within the turtle-dove research and conservation communities. Membership is free and there is no obligation to commit to any specific activities, although members are encouraged to participate actively by exchanging information and sharing their experiences.
Species in decline
The European Turtle-dove (Streptopelia turtur) is declining at a worrying rate in many countries across its breeding range in Europe and central Asia. Some of the sharpest declines are known to occur along the Western European flyway, from the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany down through France, Spain, and Portugal. Information about the species on its staging grounds in North Africa and its wintering grounds in sub-Saharan Africa is very limited and more knowledge is urgently needed. The species is Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Action Plan
To address the population declines, an EU-funded project to develop a set of conservation actions to benefit turtle-doves across Europe was launched in 2015 – the Single Species Action Plan for European Turtle-dove, one of nine Species Action Plans developed under the LIFE EuroSAP project. Over 200 experts from 50 countries were involved in the development of the Action Plan, which was published in 2018. The full document is available to download from the Species Action Plan Tracking Tool.
One of the actions in the Action Plan is to convene an International Turtle Dove Study Group, linked to the MLSG, to promote research on turtle-dove breeding biology and on population and movement ecology (including tracking), exchange of information, and collaboration. The Study Group has therefore been established.
About the group
The Turtle Dove Study Group currently consists of a web-based group, hosted on the collaboration and knowledge-sharing website, Slack. Study Group members can start, and contribute to, discussions on aspects of turtle-dove research, share information about new publications and generally share their expertise.
Joining the Turtle Dove Study Group
If you would like to join the Study Group, please contact info@migrantlandbirds.org with “Join Turtle Dove Study Group” in the subject line. You will receive a confirmation email and instructions on how to join the group.
