There are lots of good options in SFI 2024 to help nature thrive in the farmed environment in this article we look at one specific example providing habitats for the migratory Turtle Dove.
This article has been produced using material provided by Mark Nowers of Operation Turtle Dove. You can download the original articles here:
The Turtle Dove is a migratory bird wintering in West Africa and returning to Europe in spring to breed. Numbers have declined dramatically in the UK and across Europe, but there is a real hope for recovery. With the issue of unsustainable hunting on the Turtle Dove migratory flyway in Western Europe being addressed, providing good quality habitat for UK breeding Turtle Doves is now a priority.
What do Turtle Doves need?
Turtle Doves require three key breeding season resources:
Food: Turtle Doves feed on the ground, almost entirely on seeds of low growing wild plants or spilt crop seeds. They need sparse vegetation and or patches of open ground to be able to find the seeds. The past decline of Turtle Doves has been so serious that in addition to growing seed-bearing plants we recommend supplementary feeding, particularly early in the breeding season, when naturally occurring seeds are scarce. This can be done with a specially-designed seed mix to provide an additional food source,
Nesting habitat: dense woody vegetation, particularly tall, dense thorny broadleaved scrub or tall, wide hedgerows.
Accessible water: such as a well-managed pond, ditches, puddles and shallow troughs with suitable access for Turtle Doves.
Creating and managing feeding habitat
An abundance of accessible seed-rich habitat is important for Turtle Doves. They almost exclusively eat seeds, so creating the right natural conditions allowing arable plants like fumitory, Scarlet Pimpernel and cranesbills to thrive throughout the growing season is essential.
Allow plants to regenerate naturally
Turtle Doves feed almost entirely on the ground on the seeds of low-growing annual or perennial plants. They need open ground without tall vegetation to find these seeds. Turtle Doves will find and feed in a wide range of locations that fit these criteria, including roadsides and trackways, coastal dune grasslands, short flower-rich calcareous grassland. However, in many places suitable feeding habitat is lacking, therefore we advocate creating more seed-rich areas. Measures to provide more seed food for Turtle Doves should be located near suitable nesting habitats.
This is the preferred method of creating feeding habitat for Turtle Doves:
Cultivate an area of land and allow plants to naturally grow. The plants that grow up may provide seeds for Turtle Doves to feed on. This measure may also benefit rare arable plants that might be present in the seed bank and may establish once the soil is cultivated. This is particularly useful on lighter soils and is most beneficial for Turtle Doves if cultivated in the autumn as this then allows for plants to regenerate and set seed early the following summer. However, if there is space, providing autumn and spring-cultivated plots will provide a variety of seed across the season.
On heavy soils, where vegetation can become too dense for Turtle Doves to access the seed, a two-stage cultivation programme can be used to create suitable vegetation structure. An autumn cultivation followed by weed management (if necessary) with a second early spring cultivation, is more likely to deliver suitable habitat will minimise pernicious weed problems. Evidence shows that on heavy soils, being patient and retaining your plot in the same location will produce optimum Turtle Dove habitat by gradually reducing nutrient levels. This may take a few years. Cutting and removing vegetation at the end of the season can help achieve this.
Annual management (2-stage cultivation method)
The dates given here are a guide, please discuss with your local advisor regarding what is appropriate for your site.
Cultivate the allocated area between 1 August and 1st November each year to produce a flush of autumn growth.
Carry out weed management if necessary, by 15 February.
Carry out a final cultivation to achieve a fine tilth by 15 March. This should produce spring germinating plants such as Knotgrass, Black Bindweed, Chickweed and Fumitory.
Do not disturb fallow areas until 31 August.
Plant a bespoke seed mix
In some circumstances, particularly on heavy soils, natural regeneration may be difficult due to excessive plant growth. In these cases, we recommend first speaking to your local Natural England or RSPB advisor to explore how you can make the natural regeneration option work. However, if this is not possible, a sown seed mix can sometimes be considered as an alternative.
Sow a specially designed seed mix that will provide Turtle Doves with the right food plants. This will provide a source of food throughout the breeding season. Work with your local advisor to identify the right mix.
If you are on a site with rare arable plant interest, then this option won’t be suitable.
When and where to sow
Wildflowers grow better on less fertile soil where it is also easier to maintain 30-60% bare ground.
For autumn establishment create blocks or 6 m-wide (minimum) strips between 1 August and 15 October. Plots should be sown at no more than 6 kg per hectare, and in most cases a much lower rate of 2-3 kg/ha can provide optimal foraging conditions for Turtle Doves. This recommended seed rate is based on recent studies.
Rates may vary with soil type –speak to your local advisor. It should be broadcast, not drilled. Once sown, the area should be rolled.
Where feasible, establishing multiple plots in autumn and spring will likely increase the range and timing of plants available.
Maintenance
During the first year, you can top the plots to control the growth of problem weeds during establishment. In following summers, between 15 June and 7 July, half of the plot should be lightly cultivated or as a second-choice alternative, cut to 5cm, on a rotational basis, i.e. do not manage the same area in successive years. In all cases check timings of any spring and summer management with your local advisor to protect other wildlife interest.
Cutting and removal or light cultivation between 1 and 31 September may be required to prevent build-up of vegetation.
With successful establishment and good management and patience these plots can last many years. However, in some cases mixes may need to be re-sown every two to three years. If in doubt, contact your local advisor.
The SFI expanded offer provides several options to allow for the natural regeneration of arable plants. You don’t have to worry about sourcing seed mixes as it is already in your soil!
Action | Action Type | Duration | Payment Rate | Actions Aim |
Cultivated area for arable plants | AHW11 | 3 years | £660/ha | Fallow cultivated margins or plots with a fine surface suitable for wild arable plants to establish and natural vegetative cover throughout the growing season until the end of summer |
Nesting plots for Lapwing | AHW5 | 3 years | £765/ha | There are fallow cultivated plots within an arable crop with enough bare ground for nesting Lapwings and are present from early spring until the arable crop is harvested. |
Enhanced over-winter stubble | AHW7 | 3 years | £589/ha | There’s a post-harvest stubble remaining during the autumn, winter, spring and summer months. |
Creating and managing nesting habitat
In the UK, Turtle Doves usually nest in tall, wide mature scrub or hedgerows, especially if they contain standard trees, thorny shrubs and climbers, such as Dog Rose, Bramble and clematis. Dense thorny vegetation provides the birds with a safe place to build their nest, which is often just a small collection of twigs. Dense thorny scrub benefits lots of wildlife –from birds like Nightingales and Bullfinches to butterflies and other invertebrates.
Protect what’s there already
If you already have scrubby areas and hedgerows in your local landscape, then you hold a vital resource for Turtle Doves. Good Turtle Dove nesting habitat can take a long time to develop from scratch, so it is essential to protect what’s there already. Think about how you can help your neighbours to protect hedgerows and scrubby areas in your local landscape.
Management
To provide the dense scrubby structure that’s ideal nesting habitat for Turtle Doves, Operation Turtle Dove recommend the following:
Areas of scrub or dense hedgerow should be, as a minimum, 3m tall and 4m wide. Allow room for hedges to expand if necessary.
Encourage and keep thorny species such as Bramble, Hawthorn or Blackthorn.
Encourage and keep native climbing plants such as Dog Rose, Honeysuckle, Clematis (Old Man’s Beard) or Ivy.
In the long-term, scrub will eventually turn into woodland and hedges may turn into mature treelines. To maintain the dense, scrubby structure that Turtle Doves prefer, areas may need to be coppiced in sections on a long-term rotational basis (15 years+).
Avoid management and cutting between March and September (inclusive) as Turtle Doves can still be nesting in August.
Turtle Doves will also nest in other habitats. This includes Gorse on heathland, orchards, and thicket stage conifers in forestry areas.
There are several options available to farmers and landowners that reward the creation or management of scrub and hedgerow habitat.
Action | Action Type | Duration | Payment Rate | Actions Aim |
Scrub | ||||
Create scrub and open mosaic habitats | SCR1 | 5 years | £588/ha | Create a mosaic of scrub, grasses and other flowering plants with scrub cover allowed to develop, and managed so the mosaic is maintained; variety of species, heights and structure, growing trees and deadwood, where relevant. |
Manage scrub and open mosaic habitat | SCR2 | 3 years | £350/ha | There is a mosaic of scrub, grasses and other flowering plants with scrub cover allowed to develop, and managed so the mosaic is maintained, variety of species, heights and structure, growing trees and deadwood, where relevant. |
Manage woodland edges on arable land | AHW12 | 3 years | £428/ha | There is an uncultivated, naturally regenerated strip of scrub and grass mosaic developing between arable land and woodland. |
Hedgerows | ||||
Assess and record hedgerow condition | CHRW1 | 3 years | £5 per 100m – one side of an eligible hedgerow | You understand the condition of your hedgerows and effectively plan how they can be managed to improve their condition. |
Manage hedgerows | CHRW2 | 3 years | £13 per 100m – one side of an eligible hedgerow | Hedgerows are managed so there is a range of different heights and widths. |
Maintain or establish hedgerow trees | CHRW3 | 3 years | £10 per 100m – both sides | Hedgerow trees are maintained or established. |
Creating accessible freshwater
With a dry, seed-rich diet Turtle Doves need access to freshwater, for instance from ponds, artificially-lined pools, semi-permanent puddles and water courses. Accessible water within 300m of suitable nesting habitat will provide Turtle Doves with a place to drink and bathe.
Water bodies should be accessible. An exposed, gently sloping side is vital. If not, a partially submerged dead branch is a good substitute. Restoring historic ponds should follow best practice set out in the Guide to the Restoration, Creation and Management of Ponds to ensure that their historic profile is not lost.
If the local soil structure is not suitable for pond creation, then it is possible to provide other water sources, such as a shallow livestock drinking trough. Care must be taken to ensure this is safe for all wildlife, at a height to prevent access by badgers (in areas with cattle) and the water in the trough is changed periodically to prevent the build-up of parasites.
There is excellent guidance available on pond restoration and creation. It is worth assessing the condition of all the ponds on your farm first and working out which are the best ones to restore in order. For all farm wildlife, a source of clean freshwater is incredibly valuable, and this has knock-on positive benefits for pollinators, integrated pest management plus the sheer satisfaction of seeing a pond brought back to life!
Once restored, it is recommended that a minimum ten-metre buffer surrounds the pond to protect it from run-off.
Action | Action Type | Duration | Payment Rate | Actions Aim |
Manage ponds | WBD2 | 3 years | £257/pond/yr max 3 ponds/ha | Pond contains clear and clean water with a range of semi-aquatic vegetation; submerged and floating pond plants |
Buffer in-field ponds on arable land | BFS2 | 3 years | £681/ha | There is a wide grass buffer strip surrounding a pond, which has an intact grass sward all year without tracks and compacted areas. |
Supplementary feeding
Supplementary feeding can be an important stop-gap measure to support the longer-term aim of providing forage areas of native wild plants. Research has shown that native plant seeds provide best nutritional value for growing Turtle Dove chicks, but supplementary feeding will provide an additional energy boost, particularly for adult birds. This helps them quickly get into breeding condition on return from migration encourage multiple nesting attempts during the summer. This is covered in more detail in the Supplementary feeding for Turtle Doves research article.
Key points
When?Supplementary feeding should be carried out from at least the first week of May to the end of July. Starting earlier and continuing later can also be beneficial and is recommended wherever possible. Use a recommended mix of suitable small seeds, not just a single variety, to provide better nutritional variety. | How?Seed should be put out each week and spread thinly and evenly across the whole feeding site, to avoid creating piles or trails of seed. If there is a visible build-up of unused food, stop feeding for at least one week to reduce disease risk. If seed build-up continues, consider using an alternative site. |
Where?Supplementary food should be located within 300m of known Turtle Dove nest sites, or good nesting habitat. Feeding sites must be a bare surface free of vegetation or have vegetation that is short and patchy. Avoid areas of existing botanical interest. |
How can your business help?
Turtle Doves are now mainly restricted to eastern and south-eastern England. If you’re based in one of these regions, you can help. Protecting and creating places for Turtle Doves to feed, nest and drink is vital. Evidence clearly shows that restoring these lost resources in our countryside is the number one priority action for Turtle Doves in the UK. With your help, we can make sure that when Turtle Doves return to the UK in spring, they are met with the breeding sites, food and water that they need.
For further information about conservation measures outlined in this document, please contact your local Turtle Dove advisor, or your local Natural England or RSPB advisor. More details can also be found on the Operation Turtle Dove website.
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