Turtle dove

Turtle doves often crop up in verse as symbols of devoted love, though feeding your chicks on regurgitated food doesn't carry quite such an air of romance! In spite of their place in poetic tradition, turtle doves are shot in huge numbers during their long migration between Europe and Africa. Their common name is taken from their gentle, purring song and has nothing to do with reptiles. The 'turr turr' call is one of the UK's most evocative summer sounds, but is becoming frighteningly rare.

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