Amur Falcon

The Tamenglong district of Manipur recently imposed ban a ban on hunting, catching, killing and selling of the bird, locally known as ‘Kahuaipuina’, with immediate effect.

About Amur Falcon:

• The Amur Falcon (Falco amurensis) is a small raptor known for covering thousands of kilometers between Asia and Africa.
• Itsaverage length is about 26-30 cm and a wingspan of about 63-71 cm (25-28 in).
• Males have striking slate-grey feathers, red-orange legs, and reddish eye-rings, while their underwing is pale with black markings flight feathers are darker.
• Females are slightly larger than males, with brownish-grey upperparts, streaked underparts, their face and throat are white with dark streaks.

• It feeds primarily on insects, especially during migration, often catching them in mid-air.
• During the breeding season, it may also consume small mammals, birds, and reptiles.
• Hunting Technique: It is an agile flier, capable of hawking insects in flight, often seen hovering or perching on power lines before making quick flights to catch prey.
• It breeds in colonies, typically in holes in trees, cliffs, or artificial structures, while both parents participate in raising the young.
• The Amur Falcon is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, and categorized in Appendix II under both CITES and Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).
• Threats like poaching, habitat destruction in breeding and stopover regions, pesticide use, and changing climate patterns threaten their migration and survival.

Migration pattern:

• It is known for one of the longest migrations of any raptor, flying over 22,000 km annually.
• The Amur Falcon breeds in eastern Russia, northeastern China, and parts of Mongolia.
• After the breeding season, it undertakes a migratory journey across India and the Arabian Sea, with stopovers in northeastern India (Nagaland, Manipur) and other parts of Southeast Asia.
• The species winters in southern Africa, particularly in countries like South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique.

Key Conservation Sites

• Doyang Reservoir (Nagaland): One of their most significant stopover sites during its migration, and become a focal point for bird watchers and conservationists.
  • The “Friends of the Amur Falcon” program in Nagaland significantly reduced the practices of historic hunting, leading to the establishment of safe migratory corridors.
• Southern Africa: Various national parks and protected areas in South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe serve as wintering grounds for these falcons.

Ref: Source

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