Written answer by Ministry of National Development on proactive enforcement against recalcitrant illegal bird feeders and mandatory counselling to address underlying issues

Nov 11, 2024

Question No: 6232

Question by: Mr Derrick Goh

To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether more proactive enforcement measures can be taken against recalcitrant illegal bird-feeders to supplement existing surveillance and enforcement efforts; and (b) whether the recalcitrant feeders can be provided with or mandated to receive counselling including psychological support to address potential underlying behavioural issues.

Answer:

NParks adopts a multi-pronged approach to manage bird-feeding in estates. NParks partners with agencies such as the People’s Association (PA) and Town Councils (TCs) to conduct on-site surveillance and take enforcement actions.

To complement surveillance and enforcement efforts, NParks has been increasing its outreach and public education efforts to deter illegal bird-feeding. For instance, NParks conducts outreach programmes to educate the public on proper food disposal practices and discourage pigeon feeding.

For repeat offenders, or those with mental health needs, NParks works with the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), TCs, the Municipal Services Office, and PA to understand their motivations, address misconceptions, and discourage them from feeding birds.

NParks offers these feeders nature-based activities as alternatives to feeding. These include community gardening, which creates opportunities for them to be engaged socially with others, and birdwatching, where they can observe how wild birds forage naturally without human-generated food sources. For individuals with mental health needs, AIC will link them with appropriate services, such as counselling, for support.