World

Britain sees decline in Christmas birds like doves

LONDON (AP) — Just try finding a partridge in a pear tree in Britain these days.

Britain's Royal Society for Protection of Birds says the two icons of the Christmas song — grey partridges and turtle doves — are in alarming decline. It said authorities should act to prevent them from becoming just distant memories within the famed "Twelve Days of Christmas" song.

The society says the number of partridges have dropped 30 percent. Turtle doves are even worse off — with a 60 percent decline in numbers. The society warns, at this rate, the dove will face extinction by the middle of the next decade.

Society spokesman Grahame Madge said Friday that budget cuts by the British government and the European Union threaten farm programs that support wildlife like the birds.

Related Headlines

  • Eurozone recovery hopes raised again

    Further evidence emerged Tuesday that the economy of the 17 European Union countries that use the euro has started 2013 in better shape than many had expected. Markit, a ... 

  • Runners and riders in Europe's horsemeat scandal

    The European Union agreed Friday to begin random DNA checks on meat products in a bid to put a lid on a spreading scandal over horsemeat, while British authorities announced ... 

  • Cheese first made at least 7,500 years ago

    Little Miss Muffet could have been separating her curds and whey 7,500 years ago, according to a new study that finds the earliest solid evidence of cheese-making. 

  • David Cameron

    UK PM Cameron to give key speech on Europe ties

    British Prime Minister David Cameron will deliver a long-awaited speech about his country's future in the 27-nation European Union this week. The speech, billed as one of ... 

Find your future job here