Held annually since 1984, the Singapore Bird Race, organised by the Nature Society Singapore (NSS) is one of the longest-running citizen science events in Southeast Asia.
Through the race, we aim to promote the appreciation, awareness, and conservation of wild birds in Singapore, as well as to raise awareness about local biodiversity among the general public.
The Singapore Bird Race has also served as a valuable source of scientific knowledge regarding the distribution and conservation status of endangered bird species in the country.
The data collected during this annual race has been used in guiding national conservation assessments and initiatives.
The Singapore Bird Race has been supported by main sponsor Mapletree Investments since 2019.
The theme this year is “Asia’s Vanishing Songbirds: The Bird Trade”. This year’s race hopes to spotlight the impact of the songbird trade in Asia while bridging local birding appreciation with pressing regional conservation needs.
Celebrate our songbirds and raise awareness for their conservation.
Race Details
Date: 14 – 15 November 2026 (Saturday – Sunday)
Venue for Flag Off:
1) Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park (Promenade)
2) Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (Visitor Centre)
**Teams will be assigned their flag-off location by category.
Award & Closing Ceremony Details
Date: 15 November 2025 (Sunday)
Time: 1.45 pm – 4.00 pm
Venue: Town Hall of Mapletree Business City (MBC)
Programme
14 Nov (Sun)
1200 – Remote flag-off for Marathon
15 Nov (Sat)
0730 – In-person flag off for Sprint, Novice, Family, Youth and School (Primary)
1000 – Race ends for School (Primary)
1200 – Race ends for Marathon
1230 – Race ends for Sprint, Novice, Family, and Youth
1230 – Submission of Log Sheet at MBC & Lunch
1345 – Award & Closing Ceremony
1600 – End
The theme for this year’s Singapore Bird Race focuses on the Asian caged songbird trade: a widespread phenomenon across Asia, particularly in Southeast Asia. The trade exists at the intersection of social, economic, and cultural life.
Although the motivations driving the trade vary widely, one concern remains universal — the unsustainable harvesting of birds from the wild to supply the trade has contributed to the decline of many native songbird populations across the region.
In line with this year’s theme, the race spotlights the Critically Endangered Straw-headed Bulbul, which is heavily poached for its beautiful song.
Through the 2026 Singapore Bird Race, we hope to shine a light on this complex issue and encourage greater awareness, understanding, and dialogue. By fostering informed conversations, we aim to support efforts towards a more sustainable future for both people and wild songbirds.
14 Nov, 12.00 pm -
15 Nov, 12.00 pm
3 - 4 members per team
For extreme birdwatchers
24 hours long
15 Nov
7.30 am - 12:30 pm
3 - 4 members per team
For advanced birdwatchers
5 hours long
15 Nov
7.30 am - 12.30 pm
3 - 4 members per team
For novice birdwatchers (i.e. 2 or less years of experience)
5 hours long
15 Nov
7.30 am - 12.30 pm
2 - 4 members per team
At least 1 parent & 1 child
of 12 years old or below
5 hours long
15 Nov
7.30 am - 10.00 am
3 - 4 members per team
Accompanied by a teacher
2.5 hours long
15 Nov
7.30 am - 12.30 pm
3 - 4 members per team
5 hours long
Please note the following:
1. All categories, except School (Primary), will be required to submit photos of their observations via memory card along with their logsheets.
2. There is no ‘Photographer’ category this year.
Where your data goes:
As part of NSS’ commitment to citizen science, observations from the bird race will be uploaded onto eBird and images submitted to NSS might be used to verify these observations.
Registration is open now to 05 October 2025 (Sunday) on Eventbrite! Click here to register now.
Registration Fees
Payment has to be made when registering.
Please ensure that you register as a team and fill in all the required details of your team members.
Teams who have successfully registered will receive a confirmation email and more details (Rules & Conditions, etc.) in the weeks leading up to the race.
Early Bird Benefit – First come, first served, while spots last!
Register before 7 September 2026 (Mon) and get first priority for our upcoming birdwatching session at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on 03 Oct 2026!
Should you have any enquiries, please contact us at [email protected].
Gear up for the race and sign up for the upcoming pre-race talks and walks open to the public.
Click on the events below to learn more and register.
[Talk] Capturing Nature’s Unexpected Moments & Stories
by Alan Owyong, Veteran Birder
19 Sep (Sat), 2pm
Nature Society Singapore Office
[Walk] Birdwatching at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
by Veronica Foo, NSS Bird Group Chair20 Sep (Sun), 7.30amSungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
[Talk] The Tragedy of the Song Bird Trade
by Serene Chng, Traffic International21 Sep (Mon), 8pmOnline via Zoom
[Walk] Birdwatching at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
by Yong Ding Li, NSS Bird Group Member3 Oct (Sat), 7.30amSungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
Open to Public
Birdwatching for Beginners at
Bishan – Ang Mo Kio Park
20 Sep, Sat
2.00 pm – 3.30 pm
SBR Early Bird Benefit: Birdwatching at Gardens by the Bay
27 Sep, Sat
7.30 am – 10.30 am
Online Talk: Strategies for Winning a Bird Race
11 Oct, Sat
2.00 pm – 3.00 pm
Held from 15 – 16 November 2025, the 40th Singapore Bird Race saw another year of record-breaking participation, attracting over 460 participants of all ages. A total of 138 teams competed across the seven categories – Marathon, Sprint, Photographer, Novice, Family, Youth and School (Primary).
Together, participants spotted a total of 166 species during the race.
There was strong participation from the society’s members and the wider community including businesses, academic institutions, government bodies, school students, and the general public.
Notable Species Sightings
Hard-to-spot Residents of Singapore:
Uncommon Migratory Birds in Singapore:
Species with global conservation concern:
The theme this year is “Woodland Birds”, highlighting the importance of conserving our remaining patches of woodlands. Despite fragmentation, these patches are home to many species that are adapting to survive in our city.
Date: 15 – 16 November 2025 (Saturday – Sunday)
Time: See programme below; Varies by categories
Venue for Flag Off:Date: 16 November 2025 (Sunday)
Time: 1.45 pm – 3.00 pm
Venue: Town Hall of Mapletree Business City (MBC)
Programme on 16 November 2025 (Sunday)| Category | Champions | No. of Species |
|---|---|---|
| School (Primary) | Girl Power | 46 |
| Youth | Skibidi Soarers | 73 |
| Novice | Salmon Tamago Rollies | 51 |
| Family | SSKY Birders | 83 |
| Photographer | Close Encounters of the Bird Kind | 52 |
| Sprint | Magpie Rappers | 88 |
| Marathon | Team Dippers | 122 |
Team “Respect” with Mr. Tan Gim Cheong, Chairman NSS Bird Group
Primary
Respect (Yumin Primary)
Species Spotted
42
Perseverance
(Yumin Primary)
Species Spotted
39
Rainbow
Species Spotted
36
Compassion (Yumin Primary)
Species Spotted
34
Team “Thunder Ducks” with Mr. Kan Shik Lum (Guest-of-honour)
Youth
Thunder Ducks (Dunman Secondary)
Species Spotted
50
Chunky Monkey (Dunman Secondary)
Species Spotted
49
Bee-eaters 4 (Beatty Secondary)
Species Spotted
48
Bee-eaters 3 (Beatty Secondary)
Species Spotted
45
Team “SSKY Birders” with Mr. Kan Shik Lum (Guest-of-honour)
Family
SSKY Birders
Species Spotted
69
The Fun Falconerds
Species Spotted
63
Clickid
Species Spotted
60
3 Gen Drongoes
Species Spotted
53
Team “Bob the Birder” with Mr. Kan Shik Lum (Guest-of-honour)
Novice
Bob the Builders
Species Spotted
58
Xtinct Tweets
Species Spotted
56
Uric Acid
Species Spotted
49
WCHB
Species Spotted
48
Team “Meaningful Watching” with Mr. Kan Shik Lum (Guest-of-honour)
Photographer
Meaningful Watching
Species Spotted
77
Singapore Stringers
Species Spotted
76
Cannot See Feet
Species Spotted
56
Long-nailed Pair-o-feet
Species Spotted
50
Team “Melodious Babblers” with Mr. Wan Kwong Weng, Group Chief Corporate Officer, Mapletree Investments
Sprint
Melodious Blabbers
Species Spotted
70
Chill Cuckoos
Species Spotted
62
Great Argus
Species Spotted
62
Birds-I-View
Species Spotted
61
Team “Team Dippers” with Mr. Wan Kwong Weng, Group Chief Corporate Officer, Mapletree Investments.
Marathon
Team Dippers
Species Spotted
119
The Watchers
Species Spotted
83
Birdens
Species Spotted
78
Birdinging
Species Spotted
72
3 - 4 members per team
For extreme birdwatchers
24 hours long
3 - 4 members per team
For advanced birdwatchers
5 hours long
3 - 4 members per team
For novice birdwatchers (i.e., 2 or less years of experience)
5 hours long
2 - 4 members per team
At least 1 parent & 1 child
of 12 years old or below
5 hours long
2 members per team
4.5 hours long
3 - 4 members per team
4.5 hours long
3 - 4 members per team
Accompanied by a teacher
2 hours long
Registration for the 39th Singapore Bird Race has closed.
Stay tuned for our 40th run!
For queries, clarifications or updates regarding the Singapore Bird Race, contact us at [email protected]
