TURTLE-DOVE. 34I 



Russia ; it winters in Africa. In the British Isles it is steadily 

 extending its summer range, though it is still rare in Scotland 

 and Ireland. In the north of Scotland and the Orkneys and 

 Shetlands it is, apparently, a regular passage migrant in spring 

 and autumn, and there are one or two instances of winter 

 visitation. The regularity of the appearance on such out-of- 

 the-way places, as for instance Fair Island, are as yet un- 

 explained migration problems. 



Smaller and slighter in build than other doves, the Turtle 

 may be recognised by its browner colour, and the black and 

 white striped patch on the side of its neck, but it is its tail that 

 catches the eye when it flies from the observer ; it is wedge 

 shaped, with a dark centre and white borders and tips. When 

 viewed from below this pattern, owing to the white under tail- 

 coverts obscuring the dark bases, is a blackish chevron on a 

 white ground. This is noticeable when the bird stoops to 

 drink, raising its spread tail. April is nearly ended before the 

 Turtle, one of the latest migrants, appears ; it often is not here 

 until May, whilst passage birds travel through in June. 



It is a bird of open rather than dense woodlands, and 

 frequently feeds on the ground (End paper 4) ; it will nest in 

 gardens, and I have seen it feeding on scattered grain on a 

 suburban cab-stand. The flight is often described as arrowy, 

 but is not remarkably swift ; in the open it is direct, but the 

 turns and dodges are neat when the bird flies amongst trees. 

 For so small a dove it is strong, performed with purposeful 

 beats. The nuptial flight, high and circling, is rather hke that 

 of the Ring-Dove, but the undulations are less decided ; it is 

 accompanied by the whip-crack of the downward flicked wings. 

 The arrival in spring is heralded by its purring notes, a rather 

 deep, vibrating courrr, coiirrr. Seeds of various kinds and 

 tender shoots are eaten, and where food is plentiful a number 

 of birds may be seen together, but it is hardly gregarious in 

 summer. It is a constant attendant at the Pheasant rearing 



