In Singapore, feeding birds in public spaces cannot be done carelessly by residents. Providing food to wildlife, including birds, illegally carries legal consequences ranging from financial fines to the threat of imprisonment.
All provisions regarding the prohibition of feeding wildlife are officially contained within the Wildlife Act. The law specifically regulates the protection and management of various species of wild animals, ranging from birds and mammals to reptiles.
More specifically, Section 5A of the Wildlife Act establishes a ban on feeding wildlife without obtaining written permission from the authorized official. The official authority holding full responsibility for the administration and oversight of these provisions is the National Parks Board, or the NParks.
In carrying out its mandate, the NParks is tasked with managing wildlife populations and organizing habitats in open spaces so that the presence of wildlife does not disturb public comfort.
Additionally, the NParks performs control functions and tight supervision over potential violations in the field to ensure resident compliance with urban environmental regulations.
Legal Penalties for Violators
Any individual who violates the rule by feeding wild birds without a permit can be fined up to S$5,000 (US$3,913) for a first-time offense. The fine amount can increase up to S$10,000 (US$7,826) for subsequent offenses.
As reflected in recent enforcement cases, a 64-year-old woman was fined S$6,500 (US$5,087) in May 2026 for being proven to have illegally fed pigeons.
The NParks officers caught the violations committed by the woman several times during special monitoring along Scotts Road on September 1, 2024, November 9, 2024, and February 14, 2025.
Furthermore, on February 14, 2025, the NParks officers found her feeding pigeons again in the Far East Plaza area.
Based on monitoring results in the field, she was recorded as stubbornly continuing the activity of feeding birds repeatedly between September 2024 and September 2025.
Before the court, she ultimately pleaded guilty to charges of feeding animals without a permit and obstructing the duties of relevant officers. She was recorded as ignoring several written warnings from the officers. Before the court judge, she attempted to offer a defense by claiming she gave instant noodles or breadcrumbs to pigeons out of pity.
She claimed she wanted to save the condition of the animals. Nonetheless, such personal actions were still judged to violate the Wildlife Act regulations.
Increased Penalties for Repeat Offenders
Cases of illegal bird feeding that continue to repeat have increasingly become a serious concern for the Singaporean government. As a response to the prevalence of illegal bird feeding cases, the Singaporean government tightened rules through amendments to the Wildlife Act on May 7, 2026.
Syed Harun Alhabsy, serving as the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for National Development, announced that the revision of the Wildlife Act brings a number of fine nominal adjustments that are much heavier.
For first-time offenders, the maximum fine which was previously S$5,000 (US$3,913) rose to S$10,000 (US$7,826). Meanwhile, fines for repeat offenders jumped from S$10,000 (US$7,826) to S$20,000 (US$15,653).
Beyond monetary fines, the revision of the Wildlife Act also includes the threat of imprisonment for up to 12 months for residents who persistently repeat violations.
References:
Koh, W. T. (2026, May 29). Woman who repeatedly fed pigeons fined S$6,500, says she wanted to 'rescue' them. Central News Asia.
Tan, J. (2026, May 7). Singapore residents who repeatedly feed wildlife illegally to face jail, stiffer fines. The Straits Times.
