Oriental Turtle Dove

Streptopelia orientalis (Latham, 1790) (2, 15)

Photo © Kris Webb

STATUS

Central and Eastern Palearctic. Polytypic.

OVERVIEW

Formerly known as Rufous Turtle Dove. Two of the five races have occurred here. Coloration of underparts and size separate these two races.

Four individuals have occurred inn the Northern Isles with a further two on the Scottish Mainland. Ten have occurred in England with just one away from the east coast.

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RECORDS

1). 1889 Yorkshire Oliver's Mount, Scarborough, immature, obtained, 23rd October, S. o. orientalis.

(Anon., Proceedings of the Zoological Society 1890: 361; J. Backhouse, jun., Naturalist 16: 258; Eds., Ibis 1890: 388; J. Cordeaux, Zoologist 1891: 365; Nelson, 1907; Witherby, 1920-24; Mather, 1986; Denton, 1995).

2). 1946 Norfolk Castle Rising, female, shot, 29th January, S. o. orientalis, now at Castle Museum, Norwich (Acc. No. NWHCM: 2009.90.).

(C. E. Gay, Wild Bird Protection in Norfolk 1946: 26-27; B. B. Riviere, British Birds 39: 184; Seago, 1977; Dye, Fiszer & Allard, 2009).

3). 1960 Isles of Scilly Wingletang Down, St Agnes, 2nd, 3rd and 6th May.

(R. J. Elvy, J. F. Card, R. A. Card & P. H. Crook, British Birds 53: 445-446; G. A. Pyman and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 54: 188).

4). 1974 Fair Isle Setter, Field and Taing, first-year, 31st October to 1st November, S. o. orientalis.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 68: 322; R. A. Broad, Scottish Birds 10: 55-56; R. D. Murray, Scottish Bird Report 2001: 9).

5). 1975 Yorkshire Spurn, juvenile to first-winter, 8th November, photo, S. o. meena.

(J. O'Sullivan and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 70: 448; Birding World 5 (2): 52, photo; Neal, 1996, photo; Wilson & Slack, 1996, photo; BOURC (2002), Ibis 144: 181-184).

6). 2002 Highland Portmahomack Bay, Ross & Cromarty, juvenile to first-winter, 9th November, photo.

(R. F. Hewitt, Birding Scotland 6 (1): 15; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 96: 581).

7). 2002 Orkney Stromness, Mainland, juvenile to first-winter, 20th November to 20th December, photo, S. o. meena.

(J. Bishop & M. Gray, Birding World 15 (12): 501-503, plates 1-6; I. Dillon, Birding Scotland 6 (1): 10-14, plates 5-14; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 96: 581, plates 32, 171 & 172; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 97: 587; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007: photo).

8). 2003 Caithness Hill of Rattar area, first-winter, 5th December to at least 24th March 2004, photo; same, St John's Brough, 23rd February 2004, 6th, 24th March 2004, photo, S. o. meena.

(N. Money, Birding World 16 (12): 498-499, plates 1 & 2; Birding World 17 (3): 101, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 97: 587, plate 28; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 98: 663).

9). 2010 Oxfordshire Chipping Norton, juvenile, 15th to 18th December; same, 12th February 2011 to 9th May 2011, photo, S. o. orientalis.

(British Birds 104: plates 74, 101 & 187; Birding World 24 (2): 46, photo; I. Lewington, Birding World 24 (2): 61-65, plates 1-5; Birding World 24 (4): 144, photo; Birding World 24 (3): 97, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 104: 589, plate 313; Birding World 24 (12): 514, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 105: 590).

10). 2011 Norfolk Hickling, first-winter, 19th March, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 106: 602).

11). 2011 Suffolk Barsham, first-winter, 13th to 15th April, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 105: 590, plate 343).

12). 2015 Shetland Scalloway, Mainland, 1CY, 22nd November to 17th December, photo, S. o. meena.

(British Birds 109: plate 30; J. Watt, Scottish Birds 36: 178-182, plates 147-149; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 109: 598, plate 323).

13). 2016 Kent Otford, 2CY, 18th February to 12th May, photo, S. o. meena.

(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 590).

14). 2016 Shetland North Roe, Mainland, 1CY, 7th to 17th November, photo, S. o. meena

(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 590).

15). 2017 Yorkshire Crigglestone, Wakefield, 2CY., 11th March, photo, S. o. meena.

(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 111: 585).

16). 2021 Yorkshire Easington, 2CY, 2nd to 7th July, photo, S. o. meena.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 115: 562, plate 415).

P). 2021 Orkney Greenwall, North Ronaldsay, juvenile, 9th to 10th September, photo, S. o. meena.

(birding information services).

17). 2022 Shetland Quendale, Mainland, 1CY, 24th to 28th October, photo.

(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 116: 559).

P). 2023 Outer Hebrides Boisdale, South Uist, adult, 27th August to 3rd September, S. o. meena.

(P. Safford, Scottish Birds 43: 372-373, plates 318-320).

P). 2023 Orkney Lurand, North Ronaldsay, 28th to 30th October, photo.

(birding information services).