The species is not thought to face any significant threats. Artificial habitats that favour this species within the UAE may be transient, so monitoring of such habitats will be important.

There are currently no known serious threats to this species (Aspinall 1996).

The species faces a large number of threats outside of the country, and so any individuals passing through the country will likely be subject to these, outlined below.Transformation of agricultural land, including the destruction of hedges and areas of scrub (J. Dunn in litt. 2016) is thought to be an important factor in the global decline of this species, as well as the loss of semi-natural habitats. Changes in agricultural practices have several impacts on the species, as they can both reduce food supply and nesting habitat availability, and it is likely that the decline in food is the main limiting factor rather than the decline in nest site availability (Lutz 2006, Dunn and Morris 2012). Widespread use of chemical herbicides appears to also be a very serious factor, with a consequent decline or elimination of many food plants;and an increased reliance upon cultivated grain (Browne and Aebischer 2003). Hunting is a significant threat. There is believed to be an annual illegal hunting take of 0.6 million individuals across 27 Mediterranean countries (Brochet et al. 2016). The species is vulnerable to infection by the protozoan parasite Trichomonas gallinae (Lennon et al. 2013), which can cause mortality (Stockdale et al. 2015).;Competition with Eurasian Collared-dove Streptopelia decaocto;may also have an impact (Lutz 2006). A loss of suitable autumn stopping sites (field crops and trees around oases) may have contributed to its global decline, as well as a;change in tree composition, increased disturbance and an increase in the number of Common Myna Acridotheres tristis in cities where European Turtle-dove nested in Central Asia (R. Kashkarov in litt.;2015).

Historically, this species appears to have been impacted by agricultural development and urbanisation within parts of its breeding range (del Hoyo et al. 1999). The degree to which this has affected the species over recent times is uncertain, but it is possible that habitat loss could be having an effect on the species within UAE.

At a very local level shifting land-use patterns in the desert areas of UAE may have an impact on individuals of this species, but the overall effect is deemed insignificant (Aspinall 1996).

This species may face persecution to discourage nesting near human habitation (Aspinall 1996), while collisions with vehicles and powerlines can lead to the death of individuals (Aspinall 1996). There is also a risk that individuals may be taken from nest sites for trade (Symes et al. 2015) or because people accidentally think chicks have been abandonned. Nests may also be disturbed by photographers, and undisturbed nest site availability may be declining in certain areas.

The threats to this species are not well known (Holt et al. 1999), but loss of nest sites may be important at a local scale (Aspinall 1996).

Within UAE, Aspinall (1996) highlighted the main potential threats to this species as the loss of nesting sites (either due to tree felling or the demolition of ruins), collisions with vehicles, and persecution as the bird may be considered an ill-omen.

There are currently no known threats to this species in UAE (Aspinall 1996), and indeed urban development may even be aiding the species by providing new nesting sites.

The greatest threats to the species within UAE are likely to be development on wilderness land, and reductions in insect populations as a result of agricultural intensification and future declines in water availability (Aspinall 1996, Fry and Boesman 2014, BirdLife International 2015). Outside of UAE large numbers are shot each year on migration (e.g. Tucker and Heath 1994), and in the wider Arabian Peninsula the species may be persecuted as an apiary pest (Symes et al. 2015).