Rare cinereous vulture sighted in Singapore for the first time

Singapore recorded its first sighting on Wednesday of a cinereous vulture - the largest vulture in Europe, Asia and Africa - with bird photographers flocking to Singapore Botanic Gardens to take pictures of it yesterday morning.

But the rare raptor, which birdwatchers said is here because it veered off its usual migratory path, is currently under veterinary care at the Jurong Bird Park after it was found in a weakened state at Cornwall Gardens, near the Botanic Gardens, close to noon the same day.

Responding to queries from The Straits Times, Dr Adrian Loo, group director of wildlife management at the National Parks Board (NParks), said it had taken the vulture in for examination by its veterinarians. "No visible injuries were found," he said.

The retrieval of the vulture was captured on a video which was circulated on messaging app Telegram. It shows NParks staff moving the cinereous vulture, which is seen flapping on the ground.

This is the latest of several unusual migratory bird sightings in Singapore over the past year.

At the Botanic Gardens yesterday morning, the cinereous vulture was seen congregating with a group of five Himalayan griffon vultures.

When The Straits Times arrived around 9.30am, the police and NParks staff were seen dispersing a crowd of bird enthusiasts blocking the footpath leading to the carpark near the National Orchid Garden.

Singapore Birds Project member Movin Nyanasengeran said the vultures probably arrived as part of the migratory season, which takes place from September to March.

"They likely overshot their regular wintering ranges in Thailand and flew almost 1,000km down the peninsula to Singapore," said the PhD student from the National University of Singapore.

"The cinereous vulture is particularly noteworthy because this is the first record we have in Singapore and it's the largest old-world raptor," he said.

According to Singapore Birds Project, the sooty vulture ranges between 1m and 1.2m tall.

The scavenger is native to Europe and northern Asia and can normally be found around forested areas in hills and mountains, said NParks. It spends winters mainly in northern India and the Middle East.

Mr Movin said the Himalayan griffon vultures are likely to be juveniles, which sometimes lose their way on the migratory path. The scavengers have been sighted over the past two years in Hindhede Quarry and the Central Business District.

Both species of vultures are from the same family and can be found in the Himalayas. The cinereous vulture has a darker and more fully feathered head than the Himala-yan griffon vulture, said Mr Movin, and it is slightly larger.

Birdwatchers said it was likely a lack of food or fatigue that led to the cinereous vulture's weakened state.

"Lack of food is especially likely to plague the vulture here since they feed on large carcasses," said Mr Movin, adding that the nearest place where people put out food for migrating vultures is Phuket, which is along the birds' migratory path.

The chairman of the Nature Society's bird group, Mr Tan Gim Cheong, told ST that when he saw the vultures on Wednesday afternoon, the cinereous vulture had its eyes closed for periods of time while perched, a sign that it was feeling weak.

Dr Loo advised members of the public to remain calm and observe vultures from a distance in the event that they encounter one.

"They should not approach, provoke or feed the animal. The public may also contact NParks on 1800-471-7300 to report the encounter," he said.

Cinereous vultures and Hima-layan griffon vultures primarily feed on animal carcasses and are unlikely to prey on people or live animals, said Dr Loo.

The recent record follows a string of national firsts for migratory birds this year.

On Nov 20, a long-eared owl was spotted harassed by crows in Marina East Drive.

On Oct 15, a spotted flycatcher was seen at Kent Ridge Park.

On Oct 9, a plump, ashy-headed green pigeon was found at the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

Last year, a study in scientific journal Nature's Scientific Reports found that the warm weather and rich mudflats of Singapore make the country ideal as a winter getaway for migratory shorebirds.

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• Additional information from Lim Yaohui