TRAVEL The Urban Birder
THE
URBAN BIRDER
David Lindo visits Berlin – where Goshawk is the surprising star of the city
T David Lindo The Urban Birder is a familiar face on TV screens and is behind the Vote National Bird campaign
ê HUNTER Goshawks rule the roost in Berlin – see how this one dwarfs its Woodpigeon prey
imageBROKER / Alamy Stock Photo
ê CXXRI Nairxxxx
86 October 2015
HE ARTS, CULTURE and the infamous Wall; The Tiergarten those are the things that initially spring to Imagine Hyde Park in central London, but coated with mind when you think of Berlin. Perhaps the some decent tracts of woodland and with lakes and last thing you would consider is the remote ponds, some cloaked with lush overhanging possibility of the presence of any interesting examples vegetation, and that is The Tiergarten, right there. of our feathered friends within Germany’s largest city. While Hyde Park sometimes feels very manicured, But you would be wrong. there is a very visceral feel to the wooded areas in The Berlin is a very green and wooded city and despite Tiergarten. There are also the classic inner city having a population of around 3.5 million it still parkland ornamental flowerbeds and mown areas, seemed to have space and quieter areas. Two things patronised by quite a few rabbits. I saw flocks of struck me while I was wandering about the city. One was the constant chirping of sparrows – always a A youngster perched, screeching, lovely and comforting sound to hear – and the second, the distinct lack of Feral Pigeons. It appears that Berlin above my head, peering down at me is no place to be born a pigeon. It didn’t take long to as I gawped up at it... one of my best work out that the dearth of this familiar species could have something to do with the 120 or so breeding pairs ever views of a Goshawk of Goshawks that inhabit the city. Yes, Goshawks in a city, a completely alien concept for us here in Britain, but a horrifying reality to a Berliner pigeon. And as if Greenfinch, and House Sparrow cavorted in the that small matter was not enough, any surviving bushes and trees, while a female Great Spotted pigeon would then have to dodge another sworn Woodpecker made an appearance close by, very low enemy: the Peregrine, the ultimate lethal bullet that on the expansive trunk of a path-side oak. Like its could strike at any time, with deathly stealth. Berlin London counterpart, The Tiergarten can be a busy has up to four pairs of this mighty falcon present. place bristling with joggers, cyclists and dog This city shows all the hallmarks of being a walkers. I made my visit late in the afternoon happy hunting ground for urban raptors. in late July. Human activity was at its height DAVID and the resulting noise levels drowned SAYS out most of the natural sounds I When birding wanted to hear. It was perhaps not around Berlin, quizzical the most productive time of day to Berliners may stare at you. be roaming this urban park. Urban birding is yet to catch on Yet cutting through even this there. So get the curious residents din were the piercing begging to look up and point out calls of Goshawks. the Goshawks that grace This 250 acre park holds up to four the city they call resident pairs, whose vociferous young home. depart, once fully fledged, to populate other wooded parts of the city. The young birds that I saw were certainly visible. At one point, a youngster perched screeching above my head, peering down at me as I gawped up at it. It certainly rated as one of my best ever views of a Goshawk. Despite their seemingly uncharacteristic confidence, I did get a sense that I was being allowed close access by a creature that was inherently wary. This became apparent when the youngster left the branch and melted away, although I could still hear it calling. The Goshawks of Berlin (which sounds like a great name for a band) feed predominately on Red Squirrels, Rabbits and everybody’s whipping boys, pigeons. They originally started breeding in the outskirts of the city during the 1980s, heavily guarded by concerned conservationists. Little did anyone know
T R AV E L FAC T S
GmbH / Alamy Stock Photo
Little Bittern
that they would gradually spread to become a common city bird. Despite the high numbers of pairs that Berlin boasts, not all are successful and this year has generally been a bad one for successes, with disturbance quoted as being a chief reason. I noticed that most of the general public were blissfully ignorant of their incredible population of Goshawks, so maybe a job needs to be done to raise the awareness of these birds. But it’s not just Goshawks that inhabit the park, as there is an array of the expected woodland birds to be found. Hawfinches are common, as are Blackcap and Spotted Flycatcher during the summer months. The ridiculously pretty Mandarin is also commonly seen sharing the lakes and ponds with old favourites Mallard and Moorhen.
Short-eared Owl
Janette Hill / Alamy Stock Photo
DAVID SAYS Always treat breeding birds with KEY SPECIES respect. Never approach the GOSHAWK nest sites too closely, and avoid The Goshawk is a king among Accipiter hawks. It is taunting the birds with tape lures. the largest, truly massive, with big females You will distract the males exceeding the Buzzard in size. It really is a ferocious when they should be predator feared by all in any wood that it inhabits. They focused on are renowned as very secretive birds, and as a consequence feeding their hard to census. The British Trust for Ornithology estimate that family. there are around 400 pairs in the UK. Fundamentally, Goshawks are a shy species, rarely seen outside of their woodland habitat. However, they become very visible in early spring when indulging in their spectacular, undulating displays above the woods. Known officially as the Northern Goshawk it has a widespread distribution around the temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere. Birders often struggle to separate Goshawks from Sparrowhawks in Europe and Sharpshinned and Cooper’s Hawks in the US. Although sharing the flap-flap-glide flight pattern so characteristic of the previously mentioned species bulkier Goshawks can sometimes appear quite languid in flight with white fluffy ê IN ACTION under-tail coverts. David in the Tiergarten
Tempelhof Park Formally Tempelhof Airport this large area of nearly 1,000 acres replete with a runway has been given over to the general public. It is a popular site day-trippers so it is best to arrive early in the morning. Along with resident Kestrel and Buzzard, Raven can be seen and Short-eared Owls winter. It’s a site that is well worth checking out. WEBSITES David flew with British Airways britishairways.com, and stayed with a mate!
David Lindo
Juvenile Goshawk
David Lindo
OTHER SITES Flughafensee This is a relatively large lake near Tegel Airport to the northwest of the city. It’s a very under-watched site that could hold many surprises. Recently, Little Bitterns have reappeared after a long absence of several years.
REFERENCE GUIDES: Collins Bird Guide – Lars Svensson, Killian Mullarney & Dan Zetterström
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