Rare Himalayan vultures spotted outside Clementi home window, spend night in Maju Forest

Their persistence paid off, with the duo managing to capture several clear photos of four Himalayan vultures.

Source: Alfred Wong on Facebook

Mr Wong added that other birders later reported seeing as many as six or seven vultures in the area.

Local sightings of Himalayan vultures are rare

Another witness, teacher Rufus Lim, spotted the vultures by chance when he looked out of his hall window at his Clementi home.

What immediately caught his eye was their sheer size, particularly their wide wingspans, and the effortless way they circled high above the heartlands.

Source: Rufus Lim on Facebook

He and his family watched in amazement as six vultures glided past, a sight he described as both unexpected and moving.

Source: Rufus Lim on Facebook

“It’s not something you expect to see in Singapore, let alone right outside our hall window,” he said. “There was a mix of excitement, disbelief, and awe as we watched them glide past so effortlessly.”

Within about 30 seconds, the birds had disappeared from view.

Source: Rufus Lim on Facebook

Mr Lim noted that sightings of Himalayan vultures in Singapore are rare and usually brief.

Native to the Himalayas and Central Asia, the species is typically found at high altitudes, making appearances in Singapore highly unusual.

Mr Wong added that these vultures are considered vagrants rather than migrants — animals that have strayed far outside their normal range, often due to difficulty finding food.

He suggested the birds may have travelled further south in search of sustenance before reaching Singapore.

Vultures perch overnight in Clementi forest

According to Mr Wong, the vultures spent the night in Maju Forest in Clementi.

He arrived at the forest before 7am the next morning, managing to capture photos of the birds perched high among the trees before heading off to work.

Image courtesy of Alfred Wong

Some were seen spreading their wings while perched, possibly preparing to take flight as the day warmed.

Image courtesy of Alfred Wong

Reflecting on the sighting, Mr Lim described it as “an unexpected visual gift”, noting how striking it was to realise the birds were thousands of kilometres away from home.

He added that learning the vultures had paused to rest overnight stayed with him.

“Even the strongest travellers need moments of rest,” he said, describing the brief pause as a quiet reminder that rest is as much a part of the journey as flight.

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Featured image courtesy of Alfred Wong and adapted from Rufus Lim on Facebook.