Birdwatching taking flight among more young Singaporeans

On Sunday mornings, 15-year-old Kaeden Sim gets togged up in a bucket hat, polo T-shirt and trekking pants and, with a camera in hand, sets off in search of Singapore's elusive winged residents.

- Angelica Ang

One of his regular haunts is the Henderson Waves pedestrian bridge in Telok Blangah Hill Park. The forested area in the Southern Ridges is a haven for birdwatching enthusiasts, who can spot birds like the crested honey buzzard and Japanese sparrowhawk in the skies overhead.

Kaeden, a Secondary 3 student from Nan Hua High School, is the youngest member of the Bird Society of Singapore, a volunteer group that aims to promote conservation and research on Singapore's birds.

He and other members of the group often lead free birdwatching sessions at Henderson Waves, where they help enthusiasts spot birds like the brahminy kite and grey-faced buzzard.

Kaeden, who hopes to major in biology or zoology in university, is among the growing number of young birdwatchers in Singapore.

The Nature Society Singapore's (NSS) annual Singapore Bird Race has seen an uptick in the number of youth participants - from 40 in 2022 to 75 in 2023, said Mr Tan Gim Cheong, chairman of the Bird Race organising committee.

This year's race, a two-day event taking place on Nov 9 and 10, has drawn 100 young people in both the primary and youth categories.