The Zoo in Helsingborg

The Zoo in Helsingborg
This private zoo originally started as a personal bird collection many years ago. It opened to the public in 2001 as “Fågelparken” (The Bird Park), and at that time only kept birds.

As we know, bird parks tend to struggle today, especially in Sweden where interest in birds seems fairly low. That likely played a role in the park expanding with more mammals and rebranding as Helsingborgs Djurpark. Even so, it’s still very obvious that this began as a bird park. Birds make up the majority of the collection, including both common and rarer species.

From a species collector perspective, this is where the park really stands out. Some of the rarer birds here include bank myna (Acridotheres ginginianus), crimson finch (Neochmia phaeton), red-bellied parrot (Poicephalus rufiventris), white-headed munia (Lonchura maja), and grey-headed silverbill (Spermestes griseicapilla). The last one does not appear to be kept in any other public collection worldwide, according to Zootierliste. Their parrot and Estrildidae collection is especially strong.

It’s a fairly small park, but the layout is pleasant. Very green and cozy, with a forest-like atmosphere. Small aviaries, buildings, ponds, and enclosures are spread along a winding path, which makes it nice to walk through. That said, parts of the park feel dated, especially the tropical house, which probably will not last much longer in its current form.

If you’re into birds, this is absolutely worth a visit if you’re in the area. No other Swedish zoo comes close when it comes to bird species numbers here, or their rarity.