Berlin’s thriving goshawk population could serve as the model for a bold new conservation effort in the UK. Dr Paul O’Donoghue of Rewilding UK plans to release 15 northern goshawks each into Chester and London, aiming to establish them as apex predators in urban environments.
The species, once hunted nearly to extinction in Britain, has flourished in European capitals like Berlin, Amsterdam and Prague, where the birds nest in parks, hunt pigeons in the streets and adapt to city life alongside people. O’Donoghue believes the raptors could help control mesopredators such as crows and magpies in Britain’s cities, indirectly boosting struggling garden bird populations through what he calls an “ecology of fear.”
A formal proposal for the project will soon be submitted to Natural England. The chicks would be sourced from European nests and UK breeders, fitted with GPS trackers, and given supplemental food after release. The estimated cost of the project is £110,000.
Some scientists remain cautious. Manuela Merling de Chapa, who tracked goshawks in German cities, warned that rural-born chicks may struggle to adapt to urban life and stressed the importance of involving all stakeholders. Ian Henderson of the British Trust for Ornithology questioned whether the relatively small release numbers would have a meaningful impact, suggesting many birds might disperse into surrounding countryside.
Still, O’Donoghue is optimistic. Having previously advised rewilding efforts with wildcats and great bustards, he argues that urban reintroductions offer not only ecological but also psychological benefits: the thrill for city residents of seeing a rare predator close to home.
As he put it: “People go to the park to feed pigeons. Soon they’ll be going to see goshawks.”
