'Her home is like a buffet to them': Residents say woman's daily pigeon feeding causing problems in Chai Chee estate

Residents of a Chai Chee HDB block say an elderly woman's habit of feeding pigeons from her flat has turned the place into a "buffet" for birds.

The resulting mess has led to some being unable to open their windows.

The incident involves a fifth-floor unit at Block 805 Chai Chee Road, where an elderly woman is said to have been feeding pigeons for years, Lianhe Zaobao reported.

A video posted on Reddit on Tuesday (June 2) showed the birds perched on the exterior ledges of the flat. 

One pigeon was seen flying into the unit through an open kitchen window, before a group of birds emerged from inside.

According to Zaobao, bird droppings covered parts of the window ledges and exterior walls of the block, and pigeons were also observed gathering on the ledges of the nearby ESR BizPark building.

Residents told the Chinese newspaper that the woman, believed to be in her 70s or 80s, previously fed pigeons on the ground floor before allegedly moving the activity into her home about a year ago.

A neighbour who is a 61-year-old security officer, Lin Jiecheng (transliterated), claimed that large numbers of pigeons now flock to the area daily.

"Her home is like an all-you-can eat buffet that's open to pigeons all day," he complained, as dozens of birds would fly around the area during mealtimes.

He added that pigeons frequently perch on his window ledges and occasionally fly into his home, leaving their excrement behind.

As a result, his family no longer opens its windows and has installed plastic sheeting to make cleaning easier, he said.

Another resident living on the same floor told Zaobao that the town council had visited the unit on several occasions, but the problem has yet to be resolved.

Singapore is moving to strengthen penalties against the illegal wildlife feeding.

Under proposed legislative changes, first-time offenders could face fines of up to $10,000, double the current maximum of $5,000. Repeat offenders may face fines of up to $20,000, imprisonment of up to 12 months, or both.

AsiaOne had contacted East Coast Town Council for further information.

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eriko.lim@asiaone.com