Project to save turtle doves is launched in Park

A PIONEERING project has been set up in North Yorkshire’s moorland and coastal areas to help save the declining population of turtle doves in the UK.

The North York Moors National Park Authority is pioneering the scheme, which aims to help revive the numbers in the park.

Richard Baines, the authority’s newly-appointed project officer for the threatened bird species, said: “Turtle doves are in big trouble. Their population has declined in both the UK and Europe to such an extent there may now be fewer than 100 birds nesting in the whole of Yorkshire. Only 50 years ago it was classed as a fairly common bird.”

The new Turtle Dove Project is funded by the national park, Heritage Lottery, Forestry Commission and the Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the Ryedale area, in partnership with the RSPB, Scarborough Council, and East Yorkshire Ecological Data Centre.

Mr Baines said one of the few places where they survive is Lockton, near Pickering.

He said: “You can hear their soft purring song in several areas of the village. The reason for their successful survival in the village is because of gardens, large hedges, native trees and shrubs, garden ponds and small fields with good links to nearby forests and Newtondale. However, we are concerned our local population of the doves may not be finding enough habitat and food to increase their numbers.”

He is now working with land managers and is also urging moorland residents to help.

“If people have a farm or are in control of land, big or small, and have areas which could be managed to improve feeding and habitats, we need to hear from them,” he said. “If we improve the habitats, the population of other species such as linnets, song thrushes and yellow hammers, which have also declined, will benefit.”