Singapore’s only breeding pair of peregrine falcon hatch two chicks

This is the first record of this rare bird of prey having chicks or eyasses in Singapore. PHOTO: DR MALCOLM SOH/NPARKS via The Straits Times/Asia News Network

SINGAPORE – The only pair of breeding peregrine falcons in Singapore in April hatched two chicks that fledged earlier this month, which means they are able to fly and leave the nest.

This is the first record of the peregrine falcon – a bird of prey renowned for its speed – having chicks or eyasses in Singapore.

In a statement on May 28, the National Parks Board (NParks) said the chicks were successfully hatched on April 6 and April 9.

The falcons, native to Singapore, may be Singapore’s rarest breeding birds, it added.

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The falcons were first observed to have nested at the OCBC Centre in Chulia Street in April 2024. After what appeared to be an unsuccessful breeding attempt, a pair of eggs were eventually abandoned at the site.

The older chick fledged on May 18, but was found on the ground a day later. The younger chick was also found on the ground on May 21.

Both chicks were taken to the NParks Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation for health assessments, where their X-ray results showed no fracture. The older chick was put back into its nest on May 20, and the other chick was put back into the nest on May 23.

Both fledglings closely match each other and their father in size, which suggests both males, NParks said.

Male peregrines, also known as tiercels, are smaller than female peregrines, typically by about a third.

To help the falcons in their breeding efforts, the NParks team worked with the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) at NUS Faculty of Science, and Mandai Wildlife Group and Mandai Nature.

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OCBC also helped fund the research project through the Garden City Fund – an NParks-registered charity.

NParks said the peregrine eggs were retrieved with the help of robotics researchers from SUTD, who opted to use a device consisting of a telescopic pole and a claw controlled by cables on the ground.

The device is called Ernest – an acronym for Egg Retrieval and Nesting Enhancement Support Tool.

The eggs were later sent to LKCNHM, where researchers came to the conclusion that the eggs were likely abandoned because of shell damage.

To provide a more suitable material for the falcons to nest on, the research team installed a nesting tray with loose gravel at the nesting site on Nov 22, 2024.

A CCTV camera system was also installed to allow researchers to monitor the progress of the falcons’ breeding cycle.

A second nesting tray and CCTV system were set up on the opposite side of the building, facing Chinatown, on Jan 11, 2025 after the research team found that the falcons were using the recess on that side.

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During the installation of the second nesting tray, five older abandoned eggs and two newer eggs were found.

The older eggs were donated to LKCNHM, while the newer eggs were moved to the nesting tray.

While the male falcon was initially observed to incubate the eggs in the nesting tray, the female did not attend to them, and the eggs were eventually abandoned.

On Jan 24, the SUTD robotics team was again deployed to retrieve the two abandoned eggs, which were located three times deeper inside the recess area, and higher than the first retrieval site.

The eggs were sent to Mandai Wildlife Group for further examination and incubation at the Bird Paradise Breeding and Research Centre, but were removed after eight days, one due to degradation and the other due to a lack of development. Both eggs were found to be infertile.

Dr Daniel Calvo Carrasco, assistant vice-president of veterinary healthcare at Mandai Wildlife Group, said: “Infertile eggs can result from a variety of factors, including lack of or deficient copulation by a young and inexperienced male, as well as potential nutritional or health-related issues.”

A second clutch of three eggs were laid in mid-January, but these eggs were later eaten by the female falcon.

The research team cited several possible reasons for this behaviour, including a stressful incubation environment due to the hard, concrete surface, and food scarcity.

Between late February and early March, a third clutch of three eggs were laid on a nesting tray in the recess facing the Singapore River, which researchers felt could be the falcons’ last attempt at breeding for the season.

Later, both parents were seen incubating the eggs. After the first chick hatched, the new parents quickly became busy with capturing prey and feeding it regularly. It was fed six times on the first day, NParks said.

When the second chick hatched, the male falcon was observed on multiple occasions bringing food back and passing it to the female parent to feed the chicks. At other times, the female falcon also hunted to feed the chicks.

The third egg did not hatch and was later sent to LKCNHM for further research.

On April 30, when the chicks were about three weeks old, they were retrieved from the nesting tray for ringing – a process where small rings are attached to the chicks’ legs for future identification.

The chicks were also measured and had blood and other samples collected.

The measurements will be compared against those taken from other nestlings elsewhere to determine if their development is on track, and the samples will allow researchers to assess the chicks’ health.

The chicks were later returned to their parents in the nesting tray.

The research team also placed temperature and humidity sensors in both recesses on the sides of the OCBC Centre to observe if there are preferences in nest site selection based on these factors.

They will also be reviewing CCTV footage to find out the types of prey caught by the falcons.

Dr Malcolm Soh, principal researcher at the NParks Wildlife Management Research branch, said: “By studying their breeding patterns and foraging preferences, we can develop more effective conservation strategies to support their successful adaptation to Singapore’s urban landscape.”

On May 23, the older fledgling was seen with its parents at One Raffles Place and again on May 24 at a higher perch, showing improved flight and elevation.

Despite their improving flight ability and confidence, the fledglings may still find themselves on the ground, NParks said.

If anyone spots the fledglings on the ground, they can contact the NParks Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600. /dl