Those who interfere with bird traps could get jail: Shanmugam

The police will seek harsher punishments, including custodial sentences, for those interfering with bird traps set up by the authorities to control the populations of invasive bird species, said Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam.

He was speaking at the Nee Soon Green Fest 2025 community event at Yishun Ring Road on Jul. 19.

The event, which champions environmental sustainability and green living, was also attended by fellow Nee Soon GRC MPs Goh Hanyan, Syed Harun Alhabsyi and Lee Hui Ying.

How Nee Soon manages invasive bird species

In his speech, Shanmugam, who is also a Member of Parliament for Nee Soon GRC, highlighted the management of birds — such as crows and pigeons — as an important concern in the neighbourhood.

In 2024, Nee Soon Town Council received nearly 900 cases of feedback on pigeons.

Shanmugam noted that pigeons carry salmonella bacteria that can cause a variety of illnesses, their droppings can spread the ornithosis disease, and that the birds also create hygiene issues.

The Nee Soon Town Council works with NParks to employ a science-based approach to manage invasive species such as pigeons, said Shanmugam.

This includes habitat modification such as targeted tree pruning and planting of suitable tree species, as well as controlling the bird populations through trapping and culling.

For crows, NParks works with stakeholders and agencies such as the Town Councils, National Environment Agency and Singapore Food Agency to reduce sources of food available, by improving municipal cleaning, refuse management and food storage practices.

NParks also utilises traps for the targeted removal of crows, and addresses illegal bird feeding through physical surveillance and CCTV camera deployment at feeding hotspots.

Those who interfere with bird trapping could be jailed

However, Shanmugam noted that NParks has encountered interference with the traps on several occasions, including overturned cages, blocked trap entrances and deliberate noise-making to warn nearby crows.

In other cases, some people cut the cable ties of the traps, or cut the wires of the CCTV cameras before freeing the birds, he said.

Shanmugam said this is a serious matter as it hampers the efforts of NParks officers and wastes public resources, adding that he has asked authorities to "take a very firm approach" to such offences.

To this end, the police will investigate these cases, with a view to prosecuting and seeking deterrent sentences including custodial sentences, where appropriate.

While he acknowledged that there are those who feel strongly about culling or trapping of birds, Shanmugam said they should raise their concern with their MP instead of resorting to such actions.

He said that such individuals are acting in contrary to what the majority want, which is for the bird problem to be solved.

Additionally, overpopulation of birds in a neighbourhood can cause serious health and nuisance issues, which authorities are working to address, Shanmugam added.

"We hope that we can work together to try and reduce the problem. It may not be possible to solve it completely, because birds populate themselves, but we can at least try and manage it, and that's important."

Top image by Daniel Seow/Mothership