The Western Jackdaw in Pildammsparken, Malmö, is never truly alone. Where there’s a jackdaw, there are often more — their social lives unfolding in bursts of chatter, acrobatics, and observation. But this one stood still. Watching me as much as I watched him, from a bed of sun-kissed leaves in Malmö’s greenest heart.
His pale blue eyes cut through the soft morning light like glacier cracks. Curious, sharp, and just the tiniest bit arrogant — as if he knew he was being photographed and approved only reluctantly. I crouched low, and he didn’t move. Much like the Western Jackdaw is known for its intelligence, a few crumbs of grass clung to his beak, a sign of recent foraging or maybe a little nest-tidying.
There’s an intelligence in jackdaws that is hard to ignore. And while others dismiss them as “just another black bird,” I know better. These jackdaws are architects, gossipers, and survivors — thriving in places we forget to look.
Species Spotlight: Western Jackdaw (Corvus monedula)
This smallest member of the crow family is instantly recognisable by its silver-grey nape and ghostly pale eyes. Jackdaws like the Western Jackdaw are highly intelligent and form monogamous pairs for life, often nesting in chimneys, tree hollows, or even old castle walls. In urban parks like Pildammsparken, they’ve adapted easily to human presence, often mingling with pigeons and magpies.
They use tools, recognise individual humans, and have even shown the ability to understand simple logic — a bird with brains and boldness.
The Photographer’s View
📍 Pildammsparken, Malmö, Sweden
📷 Sony A7R V + Sony FE 200–600mm G OSS
⚙️ 1/800 sec • f/6.3 • ISO 640
I spotted this jackdaw in the early evening light, standing among low foliage. As I framed the Western Jackdaw tightly against the pastel green backdrop, it helped bring out the gloss in his plumage and those trademark glacial eyes. There’s always a challenge with dark-feathered birds — getting detail without blowing out the highlights — but here, I was lucky.
The Western Jackdaw’s Call to the Flock
Have you ever had a Western Jackdaw watch you back? They’re more common than we think — and far cleverer than many give them credit for. Share your own corvid moments below, or tag a friend who loves the underestimated blackbirds of our cities.
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