Peregrine falcon nanny cam stops live streaming as chicks depart
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A peregrine falcon chick fitted with a Bluetooth tracker flying away from its nesting grounds at OCBC Centre on April 8.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Letitia Chen
SINGAPORE – The 24-hour YouTube live stream that allowed members of the public to watch chicks from Singapore’s only known breeding pair of peregrine falcons has come to an end, now that all three surviving chicks have fledged.
The last chick to take flight was last sighted at its nesting grounds at the OCBC Centre at 6.45am on April 8, and likely flew off later that morning, said Dr Malcolm Soh, principal researcher for wildlife management research at the National Parks Board (NParks).
He added that the team will continue to monitor the chicks’ progress through sightings in the area and the Bluetooth tracker attached to one of the chicks.
Dr Soh previously told The Straits Times that the other two chicks will be fitted with a tracker only if there is an opportunity to retrieve them, such as if a bird is found stuck on the ground.
Analysis of the environmental DNA (eDNA) samples retrieved from the nest is also ongoing, said Dr Soh. Through eDNA sequencing, researchers can study how the breeding pair sourced their food and identify prey species with greater certainty.
“We are encouraged by the positive response from the community to the peregrine falcon live stream, and will review the feasibility and opportunities for future live streams,” he said.
The falcons were first found to have nested at OCBC’s Chulia Street headquarters in 2024, and NParks placed gravel-filled trays in the recess above the 34th floor where the parents were observed to frequent.
Four peregrine falcon chicks – the second brood on record from the breeding pair – hatched at the OCBC Centre building in late February this year. The following month, NParks launched a live stream of the nest, allowing the public to observe the birds as they grew.
The first of the chicks to fledge was first seen attempting practice flights on the morning of April 3. Then on April 4, another chick was found dead on the ground in the Central Business District, with the cause of death still unknown.
On April 7, one of the chicks was rescued by NParks after it was found on the ground by a member of the public. It was released the next day after the juvenile bird was assessed to be in good health by veterinarians and fitted with a Bluetooth tag to allow the researchers to track its location.
