Goshawks of Berlin 2025 - YCN Trip Report

Ever since I saw my first Northern Goshawks in Berlin during February 2018 I have been quietly obsessed with these birds and the place.

After lots of planning this was my first opportunity to share my joy and discoveries with YCN guests. Two trips with three full days birding for each group between the 20th and 28th March 2025.  I started in mid-March with a few days’ reconnaissance, joined by my good friend and YCN guide Mark Pearson.  

Our first week went really well with three Goshawk territories in the bag. Mating during the middle of March slowly declined for our main Goshawk pair as the female started to spend more time on the nest. We could just see her tail sticking out over the edge of the twigs. It’s amazing how such a big bird can disappear into a deep nest. Over the next ten days we followed their fortunes, drinking in the experience and learning a lot about Goshawk behaviour.

Several times during each day the female would take a short flight around her territory stretching her wings and usually take the opportunity to defecate away from the nest.  

Her flight was often encouraged by the male bringing in food to the area near the nest. On one occasion he flew up and joined her on the nest, she then left for her break. After 10 minutes she returned and the male left the nest.

We noticed this pair were relatively mature, the activity was typical of birds which were experienced in the breeding game. The female had a dark blood red iris. The male in contrast had a dark orange/red iris. Iris colour darkens with age so it appeared the male was younger than the female.

On several days we were most impressed to see the male taking small Yew branches up to the nest. He delicately broke them off from a nearby tree with great care. This created a fascinating discussion in our team of guests. We were all curious to know if Yew needles or twigs provide chemical protection from disease or maybe feather mites in the nest. A subject we will research and hopefully find some answers to.

Prey items were dominated by pigeons and European Rabbits during our watches. Each item brought into the territory had been partly eaten already by the male. On one occasion he flew from a perch down onto the ground and walked under a Yew tree, no doubt waiting for rabbits to appear.

Our second pair of Goshawks settled by the side of a new nest; male and female often perched together. A few days later we watched the male taking small branches up to the nest. This pair appeared to be further behind our main pair in the nesting cycle with no sign of the female sitting in the nest.

Our last view of this territory on the 28th March was very intriguing. After a chilly and cloudy start to the day, late morning saw the sun break through and temperatures rise. I told my guests to watch the sky as this was classic raptor weather. Sure enough a few minutes later two Common Buzzards circled above the trees. Another large raptor was being mobbed by one of the buzzards. I was very surprised to see a classic adult Rough-legged Buzzard over the trees right in front of us! This bird must have been migrating over the city and was spotted by the local breeding buzzards.  

Shortly after the buzzard fest a large female Goshawk appeared. She started displaying over the woodland showing really well just above the trees. She was circling the territory close to an old nest using her ‘rowing’ display; a slowed down flight which we see regularly on our Yorkshire Goshawk Safaris. As she dipped into the trees she started calling and landed in the old nest. This was (we thought) within the territory of the adult pair of Goshawks, but there was no attack or show by the adult female.

After the female appeared to leave, an adult male arrived and perched not far from the nest. This encounter left us puzzled. Had the female perished or maybe left the territory on a hunting mission and simply missed this incursion by the immature bird?

Incursions of other females into established Goshawk territories do happen on a regular basis and can lead to mating with the established male. In a city full of Goshawks there must be a lot of immatures or unpaired birds roaming around and trying to cause trouble. What was fascinating was the difference between this territory and that of our main pair. In the two weeks we didn’t see any such incursions. It may have been their older age and experience which kept other birds away.

Amongst the amazing Goshawk encounters we spent many happy hours searching for other great woodland birds. In Tiergarten we found a small number of Middle Spotted Woodpeckers in two distinct areas and two Lesser Spotted Woodpecker territories which were centred on poplar trees. With so many Great Spotted Woodpeckers the lesser spots were thin on the ground, maybe the poplars were not so appealing to the great spots…

It was a fantastic opportunity to listen to all three woodpeckers drumming and work out the difference between the species. Lesser spots were relatively easy to pick out with their long and more rapid-fire sound. Our fourth woodpecker in Tiergarten was a sole Green Woodpecker. Amongst the woodpeckers and abundant Eurasian Nuthatches we also saw lots of Short-toed Treecreepers.

Above our heads I could hear singing Hawfinches throughout the park. Their quiet liquid call and very simple song was a test to hear for my guests but I took great pleasure in teaching these and many other sounds to everyone. By the end of each tour most people were hearing the Hawfinches and singing Firecrests throughout the park.  

Each group had a visit to Peacock (Pfaueninsel) Island which is set on the wide and expansive Havel River in the Wannsee district of Berlin.

I discovered the woodpecker delights of this site on a visit earlier this winter so I was keen to take my guests there. The island is famous for its ancient oak trees. The large amount of dead wood both standing and lying creates a wonderful habitat for song birds.

The density of Middle Spotted Woodpeckers on Peacock Island is really high. On every one of my six visits to the island over a two-month period I saw more middle spots than great spots. Surrounded by the wide river the area is also good for water birds. On our visits we saw Goosanders, Red-breasted Mergansers, Great Crested Grebes, Little Grebes, Common Goldeneye and Caspian Gulls.

On the 22nd March we got really lucky. The wind was relatively warm with hazy sunshine. Raptors were on the move. Osprey was our first bird of prey with one over the lake from the ferry. On the island we added Red Kite, Black Kite and a White-tailed Eagle.

Our second visit to Peacock Island on the 27th March was unforgettable not for raptors but for birdsong. The island was alive with Redwings with many in song. I have never heard so many singing in one place before; it was truly a wonderful sound. They were on migration with hundreds moving through in waves. We noticed they were stopping to feed on Common Ivy berries which must be a great food source in early spring. Earlier in the month Mark and I also noticed a Middle Spotted Woodpecker feeding on Common Ivy berries.

In the UK Redwings often move back east quietly, I rarely hear one singing in spring. Beneath the Redwings on Peacock Island were many Firecrests in song and the first Blackcaps of the spring. The island was alive with sound. By the end of the second group tour, we all had a great list of birds for such a small island.

With so many great birding encounters I have almost forgotten to mention the mammals. On my February visit, I saw no Red Squirrels. A few weeks later in March they were out of hibernation and racing around the trees in central Berlin entertaining my guests. Their speed made me realise why I have never seen a Goshawk carrying a Red Squirrel. The Goshawks appeared to be much fonder of the local rabbits which were a far easier meal to catch than the squirrels.

My final mammal story relates to a leader only sighting which I never like on my tours but sometimes these things just appear and then vanish. On a mid-afternoon walk, on my way to meet my second group on the 25th March. I decided to visit one of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker sites in Tiergarten.

I was looking high up into the trees with my head in the clouds when something caught my eye on the side of a small lake. A very large Eurasian Beaver was munching bark from a log only five meters away! Across the lake there was a very well-built lodge. This was a rare sighting as these Beavers have only just arrived in Tiergarten during the last five years. Despite several visits with my guests, we had no more sightings. I am now keeping my fingers crossed for next year.

On our last afternoon for each group we made a short visit to the Berlin Natural History Museum to see Archaeopteryx one of the most famous fossils in the world. To quote my friend Jack Ashton-Booth "You can't go to Berlin without seeing Archaeopteryx". He was right. It's a really stunning fossil with a fascinating history and of course at 150 million years old it was our first bird/Goshawk! 

We had so many great experiences and lovely guest reviews from this year’s trips I can’t wait to get back to this wonderful place next year. Goshawks of Berlin 2026 tour is now live on our website. To see all the details and book CLICK HERE.

Richard Baines

YCN Director and Wildlife Guide

Reviews from Goshawks of Berlin 2025:

“Thanks, Richard, for such a wonderful time. I have really had my mind blown” Paul Connaughton

“It was absolutely BRILLIANT Richard and everyone was lovely. I still can’t quite believe the wonders we have seen” Louise Wisniewski

“Thank you so much for designing such a special trip and sharing your gems of wisdom. I’ve learnt shed loads” Christine Leon

“Lots of happy memories of an excellent trip” Jill and Jeremy Aldred

“Thanks, Richard, for organising such as magnificent experience” Paul Rodgers