Amur Falcons Return to Manipur After Epic Journey Across 23 Countries

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Imphal: Two satellite-tagged Amur falcons, Apapang and Alang, have returned to Manipur after travelling across 23 countries during an extraordinary migration spanning nearly a year, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced on Friday.

The migratory birds arrived in Manipur on Thursday, 11 days after setting out from their breeding grounds in northeastern China. Scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) had tagged the two falcons in November 2025 to track their movements across continents.

Their return marks the completion of a round-trip migration since they were tagged, offering researchers another glimpse into the remarkable journeys undertaken by the species across Asia and Africa.

In a post on X, Yadav highlighted the scale of their migration, describing the birds as “global citizens” for their journey across 23 countries.

A journey to India through 23 countries!

Having started from their breeding areas in northeastern China 11 days ago, the two Amur Falcons Apapang and Alang arrived in Manipur yesterday. This marks the successful completion of their nearly year-long tracking and also their… pic.twitter.com/5S0PbUR6eQ

— Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) October 23, 2026

Following their return, Apapang and Alang are expected to spend two to three weeks at selected locations in the mountainous terrain of Manipur’s Tamenglong district. The area is a seasonal stopover for Amur falcons, whose arrival is eagerly anticipated by local communities each year.

Residents in the district have played an important role in protecting the migratory birds, which have become a symbol of community-led wildlife conservation in the region.

During their stay, the falcons are expected to feed on termites emerging around their stopover sites. The food will help them build up fat reserves essential for the next demanding phase of their migration.

According to Yadav, the birds will then embark on a nearly 6,000-km flight to Somalia, which is expected to take around six days without stopping. The journey includes a challenging crossing of approximately 3,000 km over the Arabian Sea.

The return of Apapang and Alang shows the extraordinary endurance of Amur falcons and the importance of protecting the habitats they depend on during their long-distance migration.

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