Conservationists now hope that the dove could soon start recovering in numbers in the UK, due to a ban on hunting the birds in western Europe in France, Spain and Portugal which began in 2021.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission said on Wednesday it is taking France to the EU Court of Justice after the country ignored repeated warnings over failing to ban bird hunting with nets.

there are several species of birds that use it to their advantage ... during the autumn season in rural Mediterranean regions such as Algeria, France, Greece, Italy, and Spain.