2nd peregrine falcon chick found dead in CBD less than 2 weeks after 1st chick's death

A second peregrine falcon chick from Singapore’s only known breeding pair has been found dead in the Central Business District (CBD), less than two weeks after another fledgling from the same brood died earlier in April.

The chick was discovered on the ground in the CBD on the morning of Apr. 16, according to the National Parks Board (NParks).

Second chick to die from same brood

The four chicks hatched in late February at OCBC Centre along Chulia Street and are the second recorded brood from Singapore’s only known peregrine falcon pair.

One chick had earlier been found dead on Apr. 4.

As for the second chick, it was found dead on the ground in the Central Business District on the morning of April 16, with the cause of death unknown,” said Dr Malcolm Soh, principal researcher at NParks’ wildlife management research branch, in response to queries from The Straits Times.

The cause of death for both chicks has not been established.

Remaining two fledglings still being monitored

NParks said it will continue monitoring the remaining two fledglings through sightings and tracking technology.

“NParks will continue to monitor the remaining two fledglings through sightings in the area, as well as the Bluetooth tracker attached to one of them,” Dr Soh said.

One of the surviving juveniles had earlier been rescued after it was found on the ground by a member of the public on Apr. 7.

The bird was assessed to be in good health and released the following day after veterinarians fitted it with a Bluetooth tracker.

Public had been following chicks’ development closely

The falcon chicks had drawn public attention earlier this year through a 24-hour YouTube livestream that documented their growth and early flight attempts.

The stream ended on Apr. 10 after three surviving chicks fledged from their nest site.

Observers tracking the birds’ movements later reported difficulty locating one of the juveniles in the CBD area, prompting speculation online before NParks confirmed the second death.

Members of the public who encounter peregrine falcon fledglings on the ground are advised to contact NParks’ Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600 for assistance.

Top image via NParks