For the first time, an increase in the breeding populations of both the Western and Central/Eastern flyways has been recorded. This is a significant milestone as the objective of the International Action Plan for the species is to halt the decline European Turtle Dove throughout most of its range by 2028.

In the Western Flyway, a population increase has already been detected over the past three years, to the point where the conditions to reopening hunting Turtle Dove have been met.

What is new is that a population increase has now been detected for the breeding population of the Central Eastern/Flyway in 2024, following three hunting seasons during which harvest has been considerably reduced. This was achieved by reducing the number of hunting days and setting restricted harvest limits.

The reasons for this outcome may not be as simple as they seem because the Turtle Dove had been increasing in some Member States prior to hunting restrictions. Regardless these signs of recovery in both flyways are a much welcome sign of effective conservation efforts, to which the hunting community has been dedicated for years, including  habitat restoration, provision of water in times of drought, and more recently, in implementing harvest restrictions.

Read FACE’s Turtle Dove report 2025 for more detail on the progress in the Adaptive Harvest Management of the Turtle Dove in the EU.

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