Every autumn, huge streams of birds of prey pass over the hills near Batumi: honey buzzards, buzzards, kites, harriers and eagles. Each season counters record hundreds of thousands of raptors, and in some years over a million. It's one of the world's largest raptor migration bottlenecks, and more and more travellers come to Adjara just for the spectacle.

Why Batumi

Raptors avoid long flights over the sea — they need rising thermals over land. Near Batumi, between the Black Sea and the Lesser Caucasus, there's a narrow corridor that birds flying south from Russia, Kazakhstan and beyond to winter in Africa and the Middle East are forced through. That's why so many birds concentrate over Batumi.

The count stations

Since 2008, an international raptor migration monitoring project, Batumi Raptor Count, has operated here. Volunteers and ornithologists from around the world count every day during the season from two stations:

  • Sakhalvasho — a hill north-east of Batumi with good views;
  • Shuamta — a hill closer to the coast.

Visitors can come to the stations and watch alongside the counters. There's often some basic visitor infrastructure, and nearby villages have guesthouses. Check the project's website for current information on station operations and visiting rules before you go.

When to go

The main autumn migration season runs from mid-August to mid-October.

  • Late August to early September — the peak passage of honey buzzards: on good days tens of thousands pass the stations.
  • Mid-September — mass movements of steppe buzzards and black kites.
  • Late September to October — more eagles (steppe, lesser spotted, greater spotted, booted), plus harriers and falcons.

The best time of day is from late morning to mid-afternoon, when thermals develop. Overcast and rainy days usually bring fewer birds, but a change in the weather can trigger huge movements.

Species you can see

  • European honey buzzard — the most numerous species;
  • Steppe buzzard (a subspecies of common buzzard);
  • Black kite;
  • Harriers — marsh, pallid, Montagu's and hen;
  • Eagles — steppe eagle, lesser and greater spotted eagles, booted eagle, short-toed snake eagle;
  • Hawks and falcons — sparrowhawk, goshawk, kestrels, hobby;
  • Black storks and other large birds.

Even beginners quickly learn to recognise silhouettes with the counters' help.

What to bring

  • Binoculars — at least 8x or 10x;
  • A spotting scope for distant birds (optional);
  • A field guide or app;
  • A hat and sunscreen — it's hot on the hills;
  • Water and snacks;
  • A rain jacket — Adjara is often rainy;
  • Comfortable shoes for the hill paths.

Getting there

The stations are a few kilometres from Batumi. You can reach them by taxi or with local guides; part of the way may be on foot along village roads. Many birders stay at guesthouses in the villages next to the stations to save travel time.

Bird hunting and conservation

Adjara historically had a tradition of trapping sparrowhawks to hunt quail, and raptors were once shot along the migration route. Batumi Raptor Count and local organisations have worked for years on education and bird protection. By visiting the stations, travellers support ecotourism — showing local communities that living birds are worth more to the economy than trophies.

Other birdwatching spots in Georgia

  • Chorokhi River delta — south of Batumi near the Turkish border, a stopover for waterbirds, waders and small passerines.
  • Kolkheti National Park — wetlands near Poti, including Lake Paliastomi, important for waterbirds.
  • Javakheti lakes — Paravani, Madatapa, Khanchali, Bughdasheni and other high-altitude lakes where gulls, terns and other species breed in spring and summer, and pelicans and cranes can be seen.
  • Kazbegi — mountain species: lammergeier (bearded vulture), griffon vulture, Caucasian black grouse and Caucasian snowcock.
  • Vashlovani — semi-desert landscapes in south-eastern Kakheti with southern species.

Combining it with a holiday

The migration season coincides with the end of Batumi's beach season — in early September the sea is still warm. A plan might look like this:

  • morning to afternoon: watching at a station;
  • evening: Batumi seafront, Adjarian khachapuri and sunset over the sea;
  • a free day: the Botanical Garden, Gonio Fortress or mountainous Adjara with its waterfalls and arched bridges.

In short

The autumn raptor migration over Batumi is one of the Caucasus's greatest natural spectacles. Come between mid-August and mid-October, climb to the Sakhalvasho or Shuamta stations, bring binoculars and patience — and watch thousands of honey buzzards, buzzards, kites and eagles circling overhead. Between sessions, enjoy the sea, Adjarian food and Batumi's hospitality.