They call him the Birdman of Parkroyal and it is a designation that Chia Eng Seng, or Uncle Chia as they call him, wears with pride. After all, the octogenarian, who turns 87 this May, is practically a fixture in the hotel.
At 8am on the dot — as he has done for almost 30 years every single day of the year, seven days a week, 365 days a year, rain or shine — Uncle Chia pulls up into the hotel driveway and parks his van at the driveway of Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay.
Carefully, one by one, he takes out six bird cages, and brings them to the door of the staff entrance.
Tapping a card at the scanner, he holds the door open with a foot as he transfers the cages, two or three at a time, inside.
He carries them down corridors, into a lift, and along passageways, until they arrive at the back door of Portman’s Bar on level four of the hotel.
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This lush, green oasis located within the hotel’s atrium is where the six birds — all red-whiskered bulbuls — work their magic each day, their birdsong providing musical accompaniment to guests enjoying their breakfast or tea.
Not always the Birdman
Credit: June Wan
The father of two and grandfather of four is unassuming as he goes about his task of putting each bird up on its perch, but his actions do not go unnoticed.
Like a Pied Piper, he has adults and children alike following his footsteps, eager to see where he is going and what he is about to do. They watch, then ask questions, all of which he answers patiently.
But birds have not always been in Uncle Chia’s life. Once, the ex-tailor owned big dogs like Alsatians, Bulldogs, and Great Danes that were taller than him when they stood on their hind legs.
When they came to the table and wagged their tails, their tails would hit the table and the whole table would shake, he recalls.
"When my workers saw the dogs coming, they would all stand up. I used to joke that when they saw me, their boss, they would not even bother to get up, but when they saw the dogs, they would immediately stand up!"
Away with the birds
The birds were a hobby since he was young (“I would go to the Old Airport Road area and catch birds and spiders”) and part of a different life where “no one ever knew my real job or business.”
So well-known was he that “whenever I went to the (then) Jurong Bird Park, I never had to buy a ticket”.
Credit: June Wan
His feathered friends often took him away from his family, though Uncle Chia made efforts to balance things out.
"When they were young, every public holiday, and on Sundays, I would tell my sons, 'don't ask me to go out in the morning'. I will be at a bird singing competition. But I will come back at 1pm, bring them for a meal, and to go out."
The Birdman of Parkroyal
Working seven days a week, 365 days a year means that Uncle Chia does not have the luxury of time off or to be sick. And it’s as if his mind and body know that. He has never taken leave, medical or otherwise. He has no health problems. And his vision remains perfect (Uncle Chia’s tip: wolfberries).
Similarly, notions like me-time, self-care, YOLO (you only live once) and FOMO (fear of missing out) do not exist in his vocabulary.
Among these are his birds — 12 red-whiskered bulbuls, and six common shamas — at home in his four-room HDB flat.
Although he thinks of them as his ‘children’ (“I won’t let people who do not know how to handle birds handle mine”), he doesn’t play favourites. The birds have no names, only numbers.
Life Beyond Birds
Credit: Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay
Once a week at least, the Birdman allows himself a little time out. On Saturdays or Sundays, after bringing the birds to the hotel, he will ‘pak tor’ (go on a date in Singlish) with his wife.
"We go to Chinatown to eat her favourite fish head bee hoon or chicken rice, and walk around."
In his measured speech is a sense of comfort and peace with a life well lived.
And when the time comes that Uncle Chia is no longer here, his birds will flock off to the next cycle of their life.
"My friends are ready to receive."
