Over 250 farmers hailed for efforts in boosting turtle dove numbers

Hundreds of farmers and landowners have been hailed for their efforts in boosting turtle dove numbers, with hopes the iconic species may start to rise across the UK.

Operation Turtle Dove aims to provide better nesting and feeding habitat for the rare birds across southern and eastern England.

Ten years ago, the prospects for turtle doves looked bleak: plummeting populations and little sign of being able to fix either their breeding habitats or high levels of hunting.

However, thanks to the work of farmers, experts believe that numbers of the species could start to increase across the country soon.