A photographer in Jersey was able to capture a turtle dove sighting.
On Jubilee Hill, close to Jersey Airport, the dove was seen on Sunday feeding.
Romano da Costa, a photographer, said he was "excited" to see the bird, which is in decline due to habitat loss, loss of seed and grain, and hunting during migration and is known for its gentle purr.
In the UK and the Channel Islands, turtle doves are now categorized as "vulnerable.".
In over ten years, there hasn't been a confirmed breeding record in Jersey, and the number of visitors has decreased each year to just a few handfuls, according to Mr. da Costa.
It was exciting to see one again after all these years since I last saw one on the island in 2016. " .
Any sighting of a turtle dove is "cause for celebration," according to Tom Stewart of the British Trust for Ornithology, who spoke to the BBC.
According to what we know, 98 percent of them have disappeared from the UK since 1970, and as far as we are aware, they no longer breed in Jersey. Instead, their stronghold is typically in the south-east of England, where they are rare birds even there. ".
According to Mr. Stewart, there were only 2,000 pairs left in the UK as of the most recent survey, conducted in 2021.
Every time we see a turtle dove, it's a reason to celebrate and a sobering reminder of what we've lost, he continued.
They used to be common, recognizable birds that people could simply see in their daily lives, but that no longer exists.
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