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Crested Goshawk fledglings caused a scene…

on 6th March 2017

GoshawkCr-fledgling [BwOng]

The two Crested Goshawk (Accipiter trivirgatus) chicks that nested at Bedok North Avenue 4 LINK failed when they made their first flight out of the nest one February 2017 morning. Bw Ong‘s images show one bird landed on a parked truck (above, below).

GoshawkCr-failed fledging-HDB [BwOng] 1

The other bird landed on the ground (below).

GoshawkCr-failed fledging-HDB [BwOng] 2

The two fledglings caused quite a commotion in the Housing Development Board’s heartland. Residents and photographers alike crowded round for their souvenir photographs. Note the lady in the foreground with a backpack wearing a pair of black shorts (second image from the top) is BICA member Clarinda Yap, monitoring the going on to see that things did not get out of hand.

As Jeremiah Loei wrote: “A wonderful case where wildlife chose to coexist with people @ Singapore HDB Heartland. Also a precious lesson for all to respect their [the goshawks’] space and learn their behaviour. Don’t think many know what to do when they spotted a young fledgling that landed on the ground, I can understand the excitement. Do not condemn nor criticise, let’s learn together.”

BICA members were protective of the fledglings. Attempts at placing the birds back on the tree failed and Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Singapore) or ACRES was contacted. One chick was eventually taken away by ACRES to be handed over to Jurong Bird Park (JBP) for rehabilitation and subsequent release. The other, with much encouragement from the female adult, managed to fly off together. It was speculated that the male adult was killed on the Pan Island Expressway that runs just behind the housing estate.

It is no problem caring for the young bird. But can a person teach it to seek out food? JBP no doubt has the ability to do this. However, how do you teach the young innocent bird to recognise and avoid predators? – see HERE. Will the young Crested Goshawk eventually end up among JBP’s captive population of birds? Just a thought.

Maybe ACRES should inform the National Parks Board (NParks) of the recent episode? This could result in an understanding that this Red Data resident should eventually be returned to the wild. Or why not contact NParks direct in future?

Bw Ong, Jeremiah Loei & YC Wee
Singapore
23rd February 2017

This post is a cooperative effort between Birds, Insects N Creatures Of Asia and BESG to bring the study of birds and their behavior through photography and videography to a wider audience.

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

Other posts by YC Wee

6 Responses

  1. Isn’t it marvellous that such a simple Nature event can create such a big interest and stir? The spectators spent no money to go witness this rare event. Yet, AVA wants to cull this and cull that.
    My brilliant suggestion to them is go cull the pigeons as they are a bloody great nuisance in the HDB estates and hawkers centres. Why not spend their culling-efforts on doing that?
    Not long ago, my Commonwealth Town Council put up a huge banner warning residents not to feed the birds, yet some residents are continuing to do so. Do something about that too!

  2. HDB heartlanders have less clout than those residing in bungalows… and pigeons are rarely a problem in housing estates.

  3. I wonder why ACRES has to hand over the chick to Jurong Bird Park? Thought it would be more appropriate to place it where its mother would eventually be able to take care of it.
    Glad that this happened to the first chick which ACRES managed to place on a tree that morning. The mother eventually found the chick and took care of it. Sad and unfortunate that this did not happen for the second chick.

  4. The question is why ACRES took the second chick away as they placed the first chick on a tree. I am reliably told that JBP released the chick the same day they received it. Wonder where they released it? At the nesting site or elsewhere?

    1. I did check the nesting site one week after they fledged. Only managed to spot the first juvenile and its mother.
      No sign of the second, younger juvenile. So, if the information about its release is true, I fear for its survival as it is still too young to survive on its own.

  5. Based on observations till 8 mar, the older juvenile is still reliant on the mum for food and still have not started to hunt. How can a young Goshawk survive without this guidance? What considerations did JBP take to decide on a release?
    How can we trust the “experts” to do the appropriate actions?

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