The short answer: every autumn, from mid-August to mid-October, around a million birds of prey fly south past Batumi on Georgia's Black Sea coast. Go in the last days of August and first days of September for honey buzzards, in late September for steppe buzzards, and in early to mid-October for eagles. The main watchpoints are two hillside count stations above the villages of Sakhalvasho and Shuamta, run by the Batumi Raptor Count.
Why Batumi?
Large birds of prey travel by soaring on rising warm air, and they avoid crossing open sea, where there is no lift. Around Batumi the hills of the Lesser Caucasus come down close to the Black Sea, so birds heading south along the eastern shore are squeezed into a narrow strip between the mountains and the water. That is the Batumi bottleneck. The Batumi Raptor Count, which has monitored it since 2008, counts over a million raptors passing each autumn [1][2].
When to go
The Batumi Raptor Count's autumn season runs from 12 August to 21 October [1]. Within that, the timing depends on what you want to see [2][3]:
- European honey buzzard: peak from about 28 August to 4 September. On the heaviest days, huge streams of birds pass overhead, often together with harriers.
- Black kite: peaks in mid-September.
- Crested (Oriental) honey buzzard: a rare Asian visitor that birders travel for, most likely in the third week of September.
- Steppe buzzard: peak from about 25 September to 2 October.
- Eagles: early to mid-October, in smaller numbers but with more variety.
Numbers depend on the weather. Wind and rain can stop the passage for a day or two, and a clear day afterwards can bring a flood of birds. Nobody can promise a count, so if you have the time, stay three or four days.
The watchpoints
Sakhalvasho (Station 1)
About 12 km north of Batumi: a 30-minute drive, then a steep 10–15 minute walk up from the school car park. At the top there is a concrete shelter and platform and a basic toilet [2]. It is the main station and the easiest to reach.
Shuamta (Station 2)
The second count station, on another ridge above the coast [1]. Having two stations matters: depending on the wind, the birds pass closer to one or the other, so a bird guide who follows the counts on the day moves between them.
Visitors are welcome at the stations. Keep out of the counters' way, don't block their view, and ask before setting up a telescope on the platform. The Batumi Raptor Count also takes volunteer counters and trainees if you want to spend a season there [1].
Beyond the stations
- Chorokhi delta, just south of Batumi near the airport: waders, terns, herons and gulls.
- Mtirala National Park, inland from the coast: forest birds on easy paths.
What you can see
Honey buzzards, black kites and steppe buzzards make up most of the numbers. Among them come Montagu's, pallid and hen harriers, and eagles, hawks and falcons; about 35 species of birds of prey have been recorded here [1][3]. You don't need to be an expert: the spectacle of a sky full of birds works for anyone. But to tell a pallid harrier from a Montagu's at a distance, you want a bird guide.
Is it worth it if you are not a birder?
For a few hours, yes. On a good September day the birds pass in their thousands, and even people who can't name one species find it memorable. A whole day on a hilltop platform, though, suits keen birders more than families. If you are in Batumi anyway, a morning at Sakhalvasho combines easily with the Botanical Garden or the old town in the afternoon. The one thing to avoid is going on a day of rain or strong wind, when very little moves.
Practical tips
- Bring binoculars. A telescope helps with distant eagles.
- Arrive in good time. The main passage starts once the air warms up, but the platform fills on busy days and morning light is kinder for photographs.
- Pack a hat, sunscreen and a light rain jacket. Mornings on the ridge can be cool, and Batumi is one of the wettest places in Georgia.
- Wear shoes with grip for the steep path to Sakhalvasho.
- Bring proof of travel health insurance: since 1 January 2026 it is mandatory for visitors, with at least 30,000 GEL of cover.
Spring: Caucasian endemics in Kazbegi
Batumi is about passage. For birds you can't see anywhere else, go to the high Caucasus around Stepantsminda (Kazbegi) in May and June. Target species include Caucasian black grouse displaying at dawn, Caucasian snowcock, Güldenstädt's redstart, great rosefinch and Caucasian chiffchaff, with lammergeier and wallcreeper on the cliffs [3][4]. It means pre-dawn starts, cold mornings (close to freezing in May) and short, steep walks on rough slopes, and some tracks may still be under snow early in the season.
Birding tours with us
Our driver-guides are not bird guides, so on both birding tours a specialist bird guide works with you and we handle the car, hotels and timing. The private Batumi raptor migration tour spends four days between Sakhalvasho, Shuamta, the Chorokhi delta and Mtirala; it runs from 25 August to 10 October, and you choose the dates by the species you want. In spring, the private Caucasus endemics birding tour in Kazbegi spends four days around Stepantsminda, the Jvari Pass and Dariali in May and June. Both are private, for a minimum of two travellers; see each tour page for the current price.
Adding a few days on the coast? Read our guide to Batumi and Adjara, and for weather and what else is open this month, Georgia in October. Or build a trip around the migration. Nothing to pay now.
Sources
- Batumi Raptor Count: batumiraptorcount.org
- Birdingplaces, "Sakhalvasho – Batumi Raptor Count": birdingplaces.eu
- BirdGuides, "Batumi: Georgia's amazing migration hot-spot": birdguides.com
- Batumi Birding (SABUKO), "Caucasus Royal" spring tour: batumibirding.com
Last checked: September 2026. Peak dates are averages; the birds follow the weather, not the calendar.
