The 39th Singapore Bird Race (2023) – results

Participants of the 39th Singapore Bird Race (2023)

The 39th Singapore Bird Race was held from 4-5 November 2023 and saw another year of record-breaking participation, attracting more than 360 participants of all ages. There were a total of 108 teams spread across seven categories – Marathon, Sprint, Photographer, Novice, Family, Youth and Student(Primary). There was strong participation from schools including Yumin Primary, Sembawang Primary, Beatty Secondary, Dunman Secondary, Woodlands Ring Secondary, Christchurch Secondary, Bedok South Secondary, and other schools.

Category	Number of Teams
Marathon (24 hr)	10
Sprint	16
Photographer	21
Novice	26
Family	12
Youth	11
Student (Primary)	12

Participants in the Student (Primary) category of the 39th Singapore Bird Race

Race Highlights

Flagging off from the luxuriant environs of the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, participants immediately started to see and log birds that were all around them, including a majestic White-bellied Sea Eagle that was bringing sticks to build a nest. All in, more than 160 species of birds were recorded during the bird race, including more than 40 threatened species. Some of the endangered and critically endangered species recorded included the Malaysian Plover, Great-billed Heron, Greater Green Leafbird and Straw-headed Bulbul.

Many teams recorded the Collared Kingfisher, Black-naped Oriole, and Blue-crown Hanging Parrot, the mascots of this year’s Bird Race. The beautiful Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher (Black-backed), rare Great Slaty Woodpecker, scarce Black Bittern, unusual Terek Sandpiper with its upturned bill, and the Savanna Nightjar featured among the birds recorded.  

Thanks to the bird-rich environment of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, the winning teams in the Student (Primary) category managed to log at least 34 species. The top three teams in the Youth category were neck-to-neck with just one species separating them, scoring up to 50 species. The competition between the runner-ups in the Sprint category comprising experienced birders was truly stiff, and tie-broken by the timing of the last of the 62 species recorded. The top two winning teams in the Photographer category delivered an amazing performance, edging past the Sprint category. The pole position in the Marathon category went to the team that logged 119 species in 24 hours. All in a very good performance by all the teams.

Bird Race Results

Champions of the Student (Primary) category – team “Respect” (Yumin Primary) with Mr. Tan Gim Cheong, Chairman NSS Bird Group

Position	Student Category	Species
1	Respect (Yumin Primary)	42
2	Perseverence (Yumin Primary)	39
3	Rainbow	36
4	Compassion (Yumin Primary)	34

Champions of the Youth category – team “Thunder Ducks” (Dunman Secondary) with Mr. Kan Shik Lum, Guest-of-Honour.

Position	Youth Category	Species
1	Thunder Ducks (Dunman Secondary)	50
2	Chunky Monkey (Dunman Secondary)	49
3	Bee-eaters 4 (Beatty Secondary)	48
4	Bee-eaters 3 (Beatty Secondary)	45

Champions of the Family category – team “SSKY Birders” with Mr. Kan Shik Lum, Guest-of-Honour.

Position	Family Category	Species
1	SSKY Birders	69
2	The Fun Falconerds	63
3	ClicKid	60
4	3 Gen Drongoes	53

Champions of the Novice category – team “Bob the Birder” with Mr. Kan Shik Lum, Guest-of-Honour.

Position	Novice Category	Species
1	Bob the Birder	58
2	Xtinct Tweets	57
3	Uric Acid	49
4	WCHB	48

Champions of the Photographer category – team “Meaningful Watching” with Mr. Kan Shik Lum, Guest-of-Honour.

Position	Photographer Category	Species
1	Meaningful Watching	77
2	Singapore Stringers	76
3	Cannot See Feet	56
4	Long-nailed Pair-o-feet	50

Champions of the Sprint category – team “Melodious Babblers” with Mr. Wan Kwong Weng, Group Chief Corporate Officer, Mapletree Investments.

Position	Sprint Category	Species
1	Melodious Babblers	70
2	Chill Cuckoos Never Run	62
3	Great Argus	62
4	Birds-I-View	61

Champions of the Marathon category – “Team Dippers” with Mr. Wan Kwong Weng, Group Chief Corporate Officer, Mapletree Investments.

Position	Marathon Category	Species
1	Team Dippers	119
2	The Watchers	83
3	Birdens	78
4	Birdinging	72

Acknowledgements

Nature Society Singapore is privileged to have Mapletree Investments as our main sponsor for the fifth consecutive year. It is through the generous support of Mapletree that the bird race could be scaled up and enable more young people and students to participate.

Thanks to Mr Kan Shik Lum, Independent Non-executive Director, Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust, for gracing the event as the Guest-of-Honour. Thanks also to Mr Wan Kwong Weng, Group Chief Corporate Officer for Mapletree; Dr. Yeo Seng Beng, President, Nature Society Singapore; and Mr Vinayagan Dharmarajah, Regional Director (Asia), Birdlife International for their time at the prize presentation ceremony.

Thanks also to other event partners and sponsors – Birdlife International, NParks, eBird and Pansing. And thanks to our digital marketing agent Playlogue Creations, and event manager Eminence Events. Thanks to the organising committee, arbitrators and all volunteers who helped or contributed to the race. Also, a big thank you to all the 360+ participants for taking part in the bird race. See you next year!