Because of Berlin’s relatively flat, monotonous landscape and city fumes, birdwatchers in the city centre may be disappointed unless they’re on the search for graffiti featuring birds. They will have much better luck outside at some truly unique birding spots in northern Germany. To get an idea of what you might see in any given season, check out www.vogelruf.de, where German enthusiasts report on their birding trips. If language is a barrier, it might be smarter to find a birding pal. The website www.birdingpal.org/Germany.htm hooks up people looking for unofficial guides, many of whom speak English, and those who love to bird. A privately run and very comprehensive page in English is www.camacdonald.com/birding/eugermany.

Birding infrastructure is practically non-existent in eastern Germany, which can be a drawback if you are a beginner but a bonus if you are seeking uncharted territory. Any of Berlin’s extensive parks including the Tiergarten and areas around the lakes may provide happy birding grounds.

Also worth checking out is the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve (www.schorfheide-chorin.de), north of Berlin in Angermünde. The Unesco protected area was shaped by glaciers 10,000 years ago and has a wide variety of species. Birding equipment, including binoculars and books, is available from Spanish company Oryx (www.weboryx.com).