A close-up of the female peregrine falcon on the 34th floor of the OCBC Centre on Nov 22, 2024. - Photo: ST
SINGAPORE: Located on the 34th floor of its Chulia Street headquarters, OCBC’s premier private client centre caters to high net worth clients – those who have at least S$1 million in deposits or investments with the bank.
It also hosts high-fliers of another kind: a pair of peregrine falcons, who have set up their home in a recess 10m above the centre’s balcony.
The peregrine falcon is the fastest animal on earth, able to fly at speeds of more than 320kmh when diving for prey.
The subspecies which resides in Singapore, Falco peregrinus ernesti, can be identified by its solid black head.
It is smaller than the migrant Falco peregrinus calidus, which has a thin black facial stripe and flies to the tropics during the winter months in the northern hemisphere.
The bird, with a wingspan of up to about 1m, typically mates for life.
A biodiversity record compiled by researchers from the National Parks Board (NParks) was published in scientific journal Nature in Singapore in August.
It reported that a pair of eggs had been spotted in the recess above OCBC’s premier private client centre, believed to be the first locally documented sign of breeding for the peregrine falcon.
The eggs, however, appeared to have been abandoned by the bird that laid them.
To retrieve the eggs, NParks enlisted the help of robotics researchers from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).
Though initially intending to use a drone for the task, the five-member team opted instead to use a device consisting of a telescopic pole and a claw controlled by cables on the ground.
Taking inspiration from the falcon’s scientific name, the device was named Ernest, which is short for Egg Retrieval and Nesting Enhancement Support Tool.
The apparatus was inspired by the claw machine games found in arcades, said SUTD’s Associate Professor Foong Shaohui, who leads the team.
The two eggs were taken to the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, where it was found that the lighter egg had a small crack and a sulphurous smell, indicating that it had decomposed.
While the heavier egg was intact, examinations found that it was viable but likely non-fertile.
“These observations suggest that the eggs may have been abandoned by the parents due to shell damage,” said Dr Malcolm Soh, principal researcher for wildlife management research at NParks.
A research team from NParks installed on Nov 22 a nesting tray with loose gravel in the recess, to assist the falcons in creating a better home and helping them breed.
The birds will be able to dig a small scrape in the loose gravel where eggs can be laid, providing them with a softer, more suitable surface for nesting, said Dr Soh.
A CCTV camera system was installed to allow researchers to monitor the progress of the falcons’ breeding cycle.
The nesting tray will be left in the recess to allow the falcons to familiarise themselves with it ahead of their nesting period which stretches from around end January to early February.
If nesting is successful, the eggs are expected to hatch in March 2025, with chicks fledging, or developing the feathers and wing muscles necessary for flight, the following month.
The research team will continue to monitor the nest site for subsequent breeding cycles and maintain it if needed, such as by removing debris and replacing the nesting tray substrate.
Dr Soh, who leads the research, noted that while the peregrine falcon is one of the most widespread species in the world, most research has been focused on temperate subspecies.
The data collected will help bridge the “significant gap” in the understanding of the peregrine falcon’s breeding behaviour in the tropics, he said, adding he believes there are just a “handful of breeding pairs” here.
In a natural environment, the falcons would typically nest on limestone cliffs, said Dr Soh.
The skyscrapers in the central business district provide a man-made alternative to these cliffs, he added, noting however that the birds will not just choose to nest in any tall building.
“The OCBC Centre is quite nice for nesting because they have this very nice overhang shelter, and there’s also a recess where they can feel quite safe when they go in to nest or to rest,” he noted.
Pigeons in the CBD also provide an abundant food source for the falcons, Dr Soh added.
For staff at the OCBC Centre, the birds have become a familiar sight, with the bank donating $10,000 to support the installation of the nesting tray and CCTV system.
OCBC group brand and communications head Koh Ching Ching said the bank is “embracing the wonders of this surprise right outside our office windows”.
“Given our longstanding relationship with NParks, we are happy to play a small part in their quest to learn more about this rare breed of peregrine falcon,” she added.
“It is sometimes said that when a bird chooses to nest at your home, it can bring good luck to the owner.” - The Straits Times/ANN
