Imphal, Oct 14: Amur falcons have begun arriving in Manipur’s Tamenglong district as part of their annual migration, with the first sightings reported from Guangram village on October 11.
The migratory raptors typically arrive in parts of Northeast from the second week of October and remain at their roosting sites until the end of November before embarking on their onward journey to Africa.
Confirming the arrival of the birds in the western Manipur district, Tamenglong Divisional Forest Officer Amit Kelar said, “Yes, it has started arriving in small batches.”
The first sightings this year were reported by residents of Guangram village, around 150 km west of Imphal.
Amur falcons (Falco amurensis) are among the world’s longest-distance migratory raptors.
They travel around 20,000 km annually to their wintering grounds in southern Africa, arriving in large numbers in Nagaland, Manipur and other parts of the Northeast in October.
They depart in November after building up sufficient energy reserves for their non-stop flight to Africa, where they spend the winter.
The annual migration has prompted conservation initiatives in Manipur, particularly in Tamenglong and Noney districts.
The state Forest Department organises several activities during the season, including the Amur Falcon Festival, to promote awareness and community participation in protecting the birds.
Meanwhile, two satellite-tagged Amur falcons, Apapang, a male, and Alang, a female, began their southbound migration from their breeding grounds in northeastern China on October 10.
They are expected to reach Manipur by October 20, according to Dr Suresh Kumar of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, who has been monitoring their migratory routes.
The birds were named after a roosting site and the Barak and Irang rivers in Tamenglong district.
The satellite-tagging programme in Manipur began in 2018 to study the falcons’ migration routes and environmental patterns along their journey.
In 2019, a five-member WII team led by Dr Kumar radio-tagged five Amur falcons, including two males, at Puching village and other locations in Tamenglong district.
The initiative was supported by the state Forest Department, district administration, Rainforest Club, Tamenglong, and local residents.
The programme contributes to research on the migration of these long-distance travellers and supports conservation efforts along their international routes. India is a signatory to an international agreement on the conservation of migratory birds of prey.
Amur falcons are protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and listed under Schedule IV.
In May this year, Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav described Manipur’s satellite-tagging programme as “one of the successful community-led conservation efforts in India”.