Imphal: Chiuluan 2, one of two satellite-tagged Amur falcons released from Manipur’s Tamenglong district, has reached the Somalia-Kenya border after a stopover in Somalia. The male falcon crossed the Arabian Sea to make this incredible journey.
Senior scientist R. Suresh Kumar of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), who is tracking the falcon’s migration, reported that Chiuluan 2 began its journey from Guhagar in Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri district on Sunday at around 10:30 AM. By Tuesday evening, it had reached Somalia. As of Friday, the bird was near the Somalia-Kenya border.
Meanwhile, another satellite-tagged falcon, Guangram, a female bird, remains at the Chiuluan roosting site in Tamenglong district.
On November 8, the Manipur Forest Department, in collaboration with the WII team and local villagers, released the two Amur falcons—Chiuluan 2 and Guangram—after tagging them with satellite transmitters. The initiative aims to study their migratory routes and environmental patterns along the journey. The same day, nine other Amur falcons were released after being ringed with BNHS rings numbered C58352 to C58362.
The satellite-tagged falcons were named after Chiuluan and Guangram, two key roosting villages for Amur falcons in Manipur.
The World’s Longest-Traveling Birds
Amur falcons, often referred to locally as ‘Akhuaipuina,’ are known as the world’s longest-traveling birds. Protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, these pigeon-sized raptors spend their summers in their breeding grounds in southeast Russia and northeast China. They migrate to their wintering grounds in South Africa, undertaking an annual journey of approximately 20,000 km.
Their migration route includes stopovers in Northeast India and Somalia. Arriving in large numbers around October, they roost in places like Nagaland and Manipur, feeding intensively before embarking on their non-stop flight to Africa in November. They return to their breeding grounds in April-May, passing through Afghanistan and East Asia.
The tagging and monitoring of Amur falcons in Tamenglong began in 2018, with five more birds satellite-tagged the following year. These initiatives have been pivotal in understanding the migratory patterns and challenges faced by these remarkable birds.
The efforts of the Manipur Forest Department and local communities reflect a growing commitment to protecting these raptors and their habitats. The successful migration of Chiuluan 2 is a testament to the significance of these conservation endeavors.
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