Common pheasant in Kungsparken – Some birds charm you with subtlety. The Common pheasant does the opposite. He arrives like a headliner at a royal gala — tail flaring, chest puffed, and lungs ready to shout. And shout he did.
A Roar in the Green Heart of Malmö
It was just after sunrise in Kungsparken, Malmö’s oldest and most beloved city park. I’d settled into a quiet patch near the winding paths, where early birdsong was mingling with the rustle of new leaves. Then, off in the distance, the call of the Common pheasant pierced through the ambient sounds.
Then he appeared — a male Common pheasant, bold as brass. With barely a glance in my direction, he stepped into a patch of light and threw his whole body into a thunderous display. Wings beating, throat wide, eyes ablaze with the urgency of spring. Encountering such a display from the Common pheasant was truly a spectacle.
This wasn’t a call. It was a challenge.
The Common Pheasant – Not Just Another Park Bird
The Common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) has long been part of Sweden’s avian landscape — introduced centuries ago, yet now thoroughly at home. In parks like Kungsparken, they move with a mixture of wild instinct and city awareness. The males, especially in spring, are impossible to ignore. Encountering a Common pheasant here is like witnessing a true blend of wildness in urban life.
They’re clad in drama: jewel-toned heads, flaring red wattles, a collar of white, and copper scales down their back. Their calls are harsh, their posture proud, and their presence unforgettable.
Especially when they perform.
Photographer’s View
📍Location: Kungsparken, Malmö – captured just beyond a bed of emerging tulips, beside one of the smaller lawn clearings where pheasants often forage. Anyone hoping to photograph a Common pheasant in its natural routine might find this spot ideal.
📷 Camera: Sony A7R V with FE 200–600mm G OSS
⚙️ Settings: ISO 1000 | 1/1600s | f/6.3
Shot handheld, crouched low from behind a bush. The pheasant had just finished feeding before turning to face the rising light and bursting into his call. The movement in his wings was part of the performance — I let the shutter blur it slightly to show that burst of kinetic energy.
The creamy spring backdrop and shallow depth of field isolate him in his moment of pride.
Let the Birds Be Bold
We often think of spring as a gentle season — but the pheasant reminds us: sometimes, it’s loud. It’s bold. It’s a show of feathers and fire and sound. In Kungsparken, where nature weaves into Malmö’s heartbeat, this bird offered a kind of wild magic, right in the middle of city life. Observing the Common pheasant up close here is a memorable experience.
Call to the Flock
Have you heard a pheasant’s call echoing through the trees? Or witnessed a display like this in a city park? Have you ever encountered the bold Common pheasant in such an urban setting? Let’s share those wild city moments — the ones that remind us that even in urban places, nature roars.
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