Berlin’s parks are home to dozens of breeding goshawks, apex predators once driven to near-extinction in Britain. Now, conservationist Dr Paul O’Donoghue wants to replicate the German capital’s success by reintroducing them into UK cities.
O’Donoghue, director of Rewilding UK, plans to apply to Natural England for permission to release 15 goshawks each in Chester and London. The birds would be sourced from wild European nests and UK breeders.
Hunted heavily in the past and still persecuted on shooting estates, goshawks have thrived in European capitals like Berlin, Amsterdam and Prague. In Berlin alone, about 100 breeding pairs now hunt pigeons and nest near busy streets and parks.
O’Donoghue believes their presence could restore balance in urban ecosystems by curbing “mesopredators” such as magpies, crows and jackdaws, which often threaten smaller songbirds. “It’s basically a flying Batman bringing law and order to the city,” he said.
The plan is not without risks. Researchers warn that chicks taken from rural nests may struggle to adapt to city life, and some experts doubt whether such small releases could meaningfully boost garden bird populations. Breeders in Berlin have also complained of losing pigeons and chickens to goshawks.
Still, O’Donoghue remains optimistic, pointing to the excitement such a project could generate among city-dwellers. If approved, the £110,000 project would fit the birds with GPS trackers and provide food support until they establish themselves.
“It proves this can be done quickly – without much fuss, but with so much excitement,” he said. “Soon people will go to the park not just to feed pigeons, but to see goshawks.”
