What they like

Calm, a clear view and a bit of people nearby. Think: gardens, yards, parks, village edges, farms. Give it hedges and dense shrubs to nest in: hawthorn, privet, blackthorn, elder. Leave a little messy corner with seed-bearing plants. On the yard: feel free to scatter some grain or leave a stubble after harvest. Provide a shallow dish of water; in dry spells that's worth its weight in gold.

Ecological importance

A seed-eater with a weakness for cereals, seeds and buds. It cleans up fallen seed and is itself food for raptors such as the sparrowhawk and goshawk. Lots of doves in the neighbourhood? Then something's usually right about the basic buffet: seeds, cover, calm.

When in the Netherlands

All year round. Extra common in mild winters, and it can breed early in the year.

Status

Common. Nationally it has declined for years, but it's still a familiar presence in many residential areas.