Two of the three Amur falcons satellite-tagged in Manipur’s Tamenglong district in November last year are returning to their breeding grounds in the Far East via India after spending the winter in southern Africa, Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav said on Saturday.
In a post on X, Yadav said the birds had completed over four months in their non-breeding grounds in southern Africa and were now undertaking their spring migration back to Far-East Asia.
“Having completed more than four months in their non-breeding grounds in Southern Africa, two of these Amur Falcons are on their spring migration, returning to their breeding region in Far-East Asia via India,” the minister said.
He noted that during their journey from Somalia to northeast India, the birds undertake a remarkable non-stop flight of nearly 6,000 km in six days.
According to Yadav, a tagged young female Amur falcon named “Alang” is currently crossing the Arabian Sea after beginning its journey from Somalia on Friday morning and is headed towards India’s west coast.
Also read: Three tagged Amur falcons from Manipur reach Africa safely
“With favourable tailwind, the sea-crossing will be a three-day nonstop flight,” he said.
The minister said the satellite-tracking initiative, funded by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, had emerged as a successful community-led conservation effort in India.
He added that the project was helping researchers better understand the migratory behaviour of the birds and would contribute to their long-term management and conservation.
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