The Turtle Dove — Turtur Communis, Selby
This small species is only a summer immigrant with us, arriving early in May and leaving again for its winter home in Southern Europe and Africa in September. In England it is a common and widely distributed species, but in Scotland and Ireland it is rare, only occurring on migration, though it may sometimes have nested in the former country.
It frequents woods, coppices, and tall hedgerows, constructing a frail nest of twigs on which to lay its two white eggs. It feeds on seeds and grain, gathering in large flocks in the open fields in autumn before migrating. The note is a prolonged purring “coo.”
The male has the head, nape, wing coverts, rump, and flanks bluish ash, and a patch of black feathers tipped with white on each side of the neck. Rest of the back dark brown with broad rufous edges to each feather. Throat and breast pale vinaceous, rest of under parts white. Tail feathers dark brown, tipped with white. Length 11·25 in.; wing 6·8 in.
A single example of the Rufous Turtle Dove (Turtur orientalis, Latham) was obtained near Scarborough. It inhabits India and the East, and hardly differs from our common species, but may be distinguished by its slaty blue rump.