An Oriental turtle-dove is photographed through a scope perched in a tree at the corner of Colorado Avenue and Higgins Place around 11 a.m. on Feb. 7, 2022. Photo by Magali Gauthier. A bird ...

An Oriental turtle-dove is photographed through a scope perched in a tree at the corner of Colorado Avenue and Higgins Place around 11 a.m. on Feb. 7, 2022. Photo by Magali Gauthier. A bird ...

But a new study shows that the turtle dove is verging on extinction in the UK following a 98 per cent decline in numbers over the past three decades. Numbers here are now at historical lows ...

There is also a naturally occurring cream-colored variant, and this species is known to hybridize with the ringed turtle-dove, so plumage variation will occur. The tail is fairly long and blunt-ended.

On the second day of Christmas, My true love gave to me Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree. On the third day of Christmas, My true love gave to me Three French hens, Two turtle doves ...