Peregrine falcon chick found dead in CBD; public urged to contact NParks if fledgling seen on ground

A peregrine falcon chick which recently took its first flight out of its nest at OCBC Centre was found dead in the Central Business District (CBD) on Saturday (April 4).

Confirming the death, the National Parks Board (NParks) told AsiaOne it is saddened to share that the fledgling was found on the ground on that day.

It did not state the reason for the death.

The chick was part of a full clutch of four which hatched on Feb 20 and 22. One was seen on a 24/7 live stream taking its maiden flight on April 3.

Dr Malcolm Soh, principal researcher at the agency's wildlife management research branch, said two of the three remaining nestlings have also fledged and begun taking test flights.

The last chick is expected to follow suit soon.

"As the rest of the fledglings continue to embark on test flights, they may accidentally find themselves on the ground," said Dr Soh.

He urged members of the public to contact NParks' Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600 if any of the fledglings are seen on the ground.

[[nid:730929]]

Netizens saw crows harass chick

Several netizens recounted seeing crows harass a fledgling outside its nest.

An Instagram user wrote in a comment under a NParks post that she had seen a chick, which appeared "extremely weak and distressed", surrounded by crows at a ledge at One Raffles Place on Saturday.

The user said the chick could have flown across the road to UOB Plaza 1 and possibly crashed into the glass windows there.

"When we later located it, it was too late," the comment read.

Another netizen corroborated the witness account, adding that they had noticed the crows pecking the falcon's neck and tail for about 10 minutes.

"One of it is down at UOB Plaza tonight and it was a sad sight to witness," they wrote.

According to the commenter, the dead chick was fitted with a ring tag marked G02.

Peregrine falcon is believed to be Singapore's rarest breeding bird, and the four chicks are the second ever recorded here.

Their parents, first observed nesting in a recess at OCBC Centre in 2024, are the only known pair of breeding birds here.

NParks and OCBC announced on March 5 that research on the peregrine falcons' biology and foraging behaviour will be extended till the end of the current breeding season.

[[nid:732097]]

lim.kewei@asiaone.com