First record of Peregrine Falcon chicks in Singapore

Project highlights close collaboration between NParks and partners in wildlife research and conservation, with support from OCBC

28 May 2025, Singapore – Two Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus ernesti) chicks were successfully hatched on 6 and 9 April 2025 respectively, becoming Singapore’s first record of Peregrine Falcon chicks or eyasses (a term used to describe falcon chicks). Both chicks have fledged in mid-May 2025. This followed efforts by the National Parks Board (NParks) from late 2024 to support the nesting of a pair of Peregrine Falcons in recesses of the OCBC Centre at Chulia Street. 

First observed nesting at OCBC Centre in 2024, the falcons, which are native to Singapore, were the first local record of breeding for this enigmatic species, which might possibly be Singapore’s rarest breeding bird. 

To help the falcons in their breeding efforts, the NParks team of Dr Malcolm Soh (Principal Researcher, Wildlife Management Research) and Mr Max Khoo (Senior Researcher, Wildlife Management Research) was supported by the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) of the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Faculty of Science, and Mandai Wildlife Group and Mandai Nature. OCBC contributed to the research project through the Garden City Fund, NParks’ registered charity and Institution of a Public Character (IPC). 

In April 2024, the falcons were observed to have nested, but the pair of eggs were eventually abandoned by the parents. To study the reasons for this, a team of SUTD robotics researchers – Dr Shawndy Michael Lee (Research Fellow), Dr Tan Chee How (Research Fellow), Mr Liu Jingmin (Senior Research Assistant) and Ms Clarissa Leong Tze Lyn (Research Assistant), led by Associate Professor Foong Shaohui (Associate Head of Engineering Product Development Pillar (Education)) – was called in to help retrieve the two unhatched eggs. 

The challenge was to retrieve the eggs from the elevated recess (almost 10 metres high from the balcony floor) without having humans at heights. Assoc Prof Foong and his team devised the Egg Retrieval and Nesting Enhancement Support Tool (ERNEST) – a cable-controlled sliding mechanism with a 3D-printed gripper attached to a telescopic tripod system. This enabled the team to operate it on the ground while controlling it with precision, even as it extended as high as 12 metres for the gripper to reach into the recess. In all, it took the team slightly more than two months to create and trial ERNEST.

Said Assoc Prof Foong, “ERNEST’s design was inspired by the claw catcher machine, while the cable-controlled system is similar to how the brakes of bicycles are operated. We had adapted it from our drone system by installing a gripper controlled by cables on the ground. We then further adapted the system onto a telescopic pole to facilitate the quick and safe retrieval of the eggs.”

On 29 October last year, the two eggs were successfully retrieved by Assoc Prof Foong’s team with ERNEST and sent to LKCNHM, Faculty of Science, NUS for further research. Dr Tan Yen Yi (Assistant Senior Curator of Birds) observed that the eggs may have been abandoned by the parents due to shell damage. 

Dr Tan Yen Yi, Assistant Senior Curator of Birds, LKCNHM, Faculty of Science, NUS, shared, “These two eggs donated in October 2024 are the first Peregrine Falcon egg specimens for Singapore and for the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum. These specimens are now in our dry collections for long-term storage and are accessible to a global community of scientists for further research. Egg specimens are valuable reference material for breeding ecology, enabling insights into past and present populations.”

To improve nesting success, the research team installed a nesting tray with loose gravel in the recess of the OCBC Centre building facing the Singapore River on 22 November 2024. The loose gravel is intended to provide a more suitable substrate for nesting compared to the bare concrete surface, as Peregrine Falcons in the wild nest on natural cliff-side habitats with a loose sandy or gravel substrate. A CCTV system was set up overlooking the nesting tray to allow the researchers to monitor the progress of the falcons’ breeding cycle. 

Following the research team’s observations that the falcons also used the recess on the opposite side of the building, a second nesting tray and accompanying CCTV system was set up in the building recess facing Chinatown on 11 January 2025. This would facilitate the falcons setting up their nest on either side of the building. 

During the installation of the second nesting tray, the team discovered five older, abandoned eggs and two newer eggs that were laid on the concrete surface in the recess. The older eggs were donated to the LKCNHM. The two newer eggs were moved to the nesting tray since the earlier eggs found on the concrete surface had failed to hatch. 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 24 January 2025, the same SUTD robotics team, with the addition of a fifth researcher, Mr Milven Lim, was again deployed to retrieve the two eggs using ERNEST. The team found that the abandoned eggs were located three times deeper into the recess area and higher compared to the first retrieval. These two factors made the second retrieval harder than the first. As such, the SUTD research team quickly modified ERNEST to ensure the extended sliding mechanism could reach deeper without compromising the vertical reach of the grippers. With the modifications done, the team retrieved the eggs successfully.   

Assoc Prof Foong said, “The moment we were told about the need for a second deployment to retrieve new eggs, we got to work quickly and within a day, had the modification done to ensure that ERNEST could reach farther and higher as the recess is now deeper. Although these eggs that we had retrieved did not result in chicks, we were still glad that we could play our part in retrieving these eggs and supporting NParks’ efforts in wildlife research and conservation.”

The two eggs were sent to Mandai Wildlife Group for further examination and incubation at Bird Paradise’s Breeding & Research Centre. However, they were removed after eight days – one due to degradation and the other due to a lack of development. Post-mortem examinations were conducted on both eggs. Dr Daniel Calvo Carrasco, Assistant Vice President, Veterinary Healthcare at Mandai Wildlife Group shared, “There was no evidence of fertilisation in either of the eggs, which could explain the failure of previous clutches from the same pair of Peregrine Falcons. 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.” 

In mid-January 2025, a second clutch of three eggs was laid on the concrete surface in the recess facing Chinatown. Unfortunately, these eggs were later consumed by the female falcon, possibly due to several factors. The flat, hard surface proved challenging for the falcons as CCTV footage showed them frequently adjusting the eggs' positions to keep them from rolling away during incubation. This constant repositioning likely created a stressful incubation environment. Additionally, the increased movement of the eggs on the concrete surface could have led to damage, prompting the female to consume them. Food scarcity might have also contributed to this behaviour.

Between late February and early March 2025, a third clutch of three eggs were progressively laid on the nesting tray in the recess facing the Singapore River. As falcons may lay up to two to three clutches of eggs in a single mating season, this was likely the falcons’ last attempt for the season. The initial signs proved promising as the female falcon was observed to hollow out a scrap in the loose gravel to prevent the eggs from rolling around and protect them from damage. Both falcons were also observed incubating the eggs. 

The first chick or eyas hatched on 6 April 2025 and the new parents quickly became preoccupied with capturing prey and feeding it regularly with small morsels of meat from captured birds; on the first day, it was fed six times. The second chick hatched on 9 April 2025. The male falcon was observed on multiple occasions bringing food back and passing them to the female falcon to feed the chicks. At other times, the female falcon also hunted to feed the chicks. The third egg did not hatch and was eventually retrieved and sent to LKCNHM, Faculty of Science, NUS for further research.

On 30 April 2025, when both chicks were about three weeks old, they were retrieved from the nesting tray for ringing. It involved attaching small rings to the chicks’ legs – one metal ring with a unique serial number, and a coloured ring for ease of identification (a red ring for the older chick and a green one for the younger one). This allows the research team to identify the individual falcons from a distance without having to recapture them. Resighting this pair of fledglings can help the research team understand where they may disperse to and the size of their home ranges.  

The chicks were then measured, and blood and cloacal samples were collected. The measurements will be compared against the measurements taken of other nestlings elsewhere to determine if their development is on track. The blood and cloacal samples will allow the research team to assess the chicks’ health by checking their susceptibility to certain avian diseases. The cloacal samples could also reveal what species of birds have been fed to the chicks. Following this, the chicks were returned safely to their parents in the nesting tray. 

The older Peregrine Falcon chick fledged on 18 May 2025 but was found on the ground floor one day later. Similarly, the younger chick fledged and was found on the floor on 21 May 2025. Both chicks were brought to NParks’ Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation (CWR) for health assessments. X-rays for both chicks showed no fracture, and the first fledgling was released back to its nest on 20 May and the younger one on 23 May.

The older fledgling was sighted with the parents on 23 May 2025 perched on the nearby One Raffles Place building. On 24 May 2025, the older fledgling was again sighted on the same building but at a higher perch than the previous day. These observations indicated that it is capable of stronger flight and gaining elevation. While the fledglings are gaining strength and confidence in flying, they may accidentally find themselves on the ground again. Members of the public are advised to contact NParks’ Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600 if any of the fledglings are seen on the ground. 

The two fledglings were observed to closely match each other and their father in size, suggesting they are both males – also known as tiercels. DNA sexing by scientists at NParks’ Centre for Wildlife Forensics (CWF) later confirmed this suspicion. Tiercels are notably smaller than their female counterparts, typically by about a third.

Ms Koh Ching Ching, Head of Group Brand & Communications, OCBC, shared, “We were thrilled to welcome two Peregrine Falcon chicks at OCBC Centre in April this year! The 12-month journey to witness their birth and growth within the central business district has been eye-opening. The researchers at NParks were resourceful and attentive in providing the best conditions for hatching the chicks and nursing them back to health after a faltering start to their flying attempts. This success shows that – with proper support and care – urban spaces can achieve some sort of harmony with nature. It is our shared responsibility to facilitate that. Together with our other ongoing partnerships with NParks in OCBC Mangrove Park and the OCBC Seagrass Restoration Project, we are glad that our collaborations with NParks continue to take root and soar.”

To provide further insights, the research team placed temperature and humidity sensors in both recesses on the sides of the OCBC Centre on 30 April 2025. This can help determine if there are microclimatic preferences in nest site selection, based on the prevailing temperature or humidity which would vary at different times of the year. Additionally, the team will be reviewing the CCTV footage to determine the types of prey caught by the falcons. 

Dr Malcolm Soh, Principal Researcher, Wildlife Management Research, NParks, shared, “As Singapore's only known breeding pair of Peregrine Falcons, these birds provide invaluable research opportunities. Their presence allows us to gather crucial data about Peregrine Falcon breeding biology in tropical regions, where their ecology remains poorly understood. Of particular interest is learning what nesting conditions such as temperature and nesting substrates are suited for Peregrine Falcons to breed in urban areas. We also aim to ascertain the prey species that are captured by urban Peregrine Falcons, which are expected to be different from those nesting in natural habitats. 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.”

The research team will continue to monitor both nest sites for subsequent breeding cycles and maintain the nests if needed, such as removing debris and replacing the nesting tray substrate.

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