On 18 May 2026, FACE participated to the 12^th meeting of the EU Task Force on the Recovery of Birds, focusing on the 2026 update of the Turtle Dove AHM.

In the Western flyway, the Turtle Dove population continues to increase. Therefore, for the second year, hunting will take place during the upcoming 2026 season, with a very restricted harvest level of 1.5% of the population and specific quotas allocated to the relevant countries (Spain, France, Portugal, and 3 Italian regions). Strict and modern enforcement systems are in place in those countries to ensure the quotas are not exceeded. It must be noted that Member States report very high compliance among hunters.

In the Central/Eastern flyway, the population trend has not improved despite drastic harvest reductions over the past 5 years. The harvest has been reduced by almost 90% and should now be equivalent to a harvest rate of around 2%, which falls within the range of harvest levels identified as sustainable for the Western flyway. A dedicated population model has not yet been developed for this flyway, but new demographic data produced by Bulgaria could help refine knowledge for this flyway. In this flyway too, Member States report efficient enforcement systems and high compliance.

Importantly, an update of key habitat-related measures was also discussed, designed to fit within the framework of Member States’ Nature Restoration Plans.