Singapore birdwatchers abuzz over Himalayan vultures spotted in Clementi

SINGAPORE - Mass sightings of Himalayan vultures – a species typically found in the high-altitude regions of the Himalayas – have sparked a buzz among Singapore’s birding community in recent days.

Known for their long, broad wings and whitish streaks on their brownish mantle and scapulars, the vultures were spotted at Maju Forest on Jan 4 and 5.

The species is currently classified as “near threatened” by BirdLife International, a global partnership of non-governmental organisations dedicated to bird conservation.

Updates about the sightings quickly flooded social media platforms such as Facebook, with bird enthusiasts across the island sharing photographs, videos and real-time information.

Mr Kelvin Ng, 51, first heard about the vultures being seen in the trees of Maju Forest on the evening of Jan 4. He decided to head to Clementi Street 13, the nearest vantage point, the following morning.

When he arrived, he saw about 30 to 40 birdwatchers gathered on the 14th floor of Block 118 Clementi Street 13, snapping photographs of four vultures.

Mr Ng, a production supervisor, said: “Although it’s not my first time seeing them here, it is always an exciting experience to see these huge raptors. It is rare to see them in Singapore as they are vagrant birds. Singapore has no food source for them, so it is very rare for them to perch here to rest.”

Bird enthusiast Anderson Ng also learnt about the vultures’ appearance through a WhatsApp chat group.

The 62-year-old semi-retiree went to Mount Faber on Jan 4 to wait for the birds, but they did not appear. Undeterred, he went to Clementi Street 13 at 7am on Jan 5 and waited for two hours till they finally appeared.

“It’s a magnificent bird to see,” Mr Ng said. “Its wingspan stretches over 3m in flight. I was elated to get a picture of it this year.”

Another birdwatcher, Mr Hong Yijun, described seeing the vultures in person as majestic. The 31-year-old engineer had previously seen Himalayan vultures at the Singapore Botanic Gardens in 2021.

“I have seen many rare birds, but seeing the vultures always amazes me as they are such large sentient creatures and have flown here from a long distance,” he said.

However, Mr Hong added that he hopes the vultures will leave Singapore soon, as the birds typically feed on animal carcasses, which are absent here.

Himalayan vultures have a wingspan of between 2.5m and 3m, and can weigh up to 12kg, captivating birdwatchers with their sheer size.

Dr Movin Nyanasengeran, president of Bird Society of Singapore, said the vultures’ appearance over the past week is part of their post-breeding dispersal period, when juvenile birds become independent and leave their parents’ territory.

“Young birds tend to wander more than adults, and these vultures were probably lost during their dispersal,” he said, adding that Singapore typically records such sightings every two to three years around the start of the year.

Dr Yong Ding Li, head of flyways and species conservation for BirdLife International in Asia, said the vultures’ main geographical range spans the Himalayas, the Tibetan Plateau, Central Asia and Mongolia.

He added that young birds scatter farther to search for food in the form of animal carcasses during post-breeding dispersal in winter, and when food becomes much scarcer.

Most Himalayan vultures in South-east Asia are found in Thailand and Myanmar, with a small number occasionally reaching Singapore, which lies at the edge of their regular distribution range.

According to Bird Society of Singapore records, the vultures were last seen in Strathmore Avenue in February 2025. The earliest local record dates back to December 1989, when four vultures were spotted in Tuas.