Britain’s turtle doves rebound after 98% decline as 30 birds are released

As the festive season approaches, a bird forever linked with love, devotion and Christmas is quietly offering Britain a reason for hope. The turtle dove, once a familiar sight across the countryside, has suffered a dramatic decline over the past six decades. Now, a conservation effort in Hampshire is showing early signs that the species may have a chance to recover, reports People. A recent report by the BBC states that by 2023, the European turtle dove population in the United Kingdom had fallen to just 2 percent of its peak population in the late 1960s. The species is Europe's only migratory dove and has become the fastest-declining bird species in the U.K., adds the report.30 birds take lightIf we go by the People report, in spring 2026, the country's National Park Authority released 30 turtle doves at an undisclosed location in Hampshire.