WII to tag transmitters on Amur Falcons to study migratory route
Source: The Sangai Express / Waari Singbul Network

Imphal, October 26 2024: A senior Wildlife Institute of India (WII) scientist will tag satellite transmitters on Amur Falcons in Tamenglong district early next month to study the migratory routes of the raptors.

The long-distance migratory birds belonging to the falcon family, as done in previous years, have now landed in large numbers in forest-rich Tamenglong district.

A little smaller than the size of a pigeon, Amur Falcon is locally known as "Akhuaipuina" .

Scientist-F of WII, Dehradun, Dr Suresh Kumar, along with the transmitters imported from the United Kingdom, will arrive in Tamenglong in November first week as per the district's Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Kh Hitler Singh.

WII to tag transmitters on Amur Falcons to study migratory route

In a telephonic conversation, Dr Suresh said that they will first select a few Amur falcons and assess their health conditions, adding that the transmitters will be tagged to two healthiest birds to study their migratory routes.

The flight patterns and migratory routes of the tagged falcons could be examined shortly after they are released, the senior scientist said and added that it is possible to study the whole migratory cycle of the raptors as the lifespan of the transmitters is one year.

It may be mentioned that the female falcon which was tagged with a transmitter in Tamenglong in 2018 reach-ed Somalia after flying continuously for five days and eight hours, and covering 5,700 kms.

On the other hand, diverse measures to protect the falcons have also been taken up by the district authorities and animal lovers' groups of the Zeliangrong-Naga dominated district.

Amur falcons usually arrive in Manipur, mostly in Tamenglong about 145 Km from Imphal, and parts of Nagaland during the first and second week of October from their breeding grounds in northern China and south-eastern Siberia, said wildlife experts.

After roosting for a little more than a month, they leave the State and fly towards the southern and eastern parts of Africa and again roost a short time there before flying towards their breeding grounds.

To spread awareness among the people to protect the migratory birds, the Forest Department, supported by local clubs and animal lovers' groups, as done in previous years, will observe "Amur Falcon Festival" in the first and second week of November, said Tameng-long DFO Kh Hitler.

District Magistrate (Tamenglong), L Angshim Dangshawa has also banned air guns, and asked the people to deposit the weapons to their respective village authorities' offices to protect the winged guests during their roosting period.

Animal lovers in Tamenglong said the trend of hunting falcons has declined significantly.

The first ever survey for population estimation of Amur Falcons in the State was conducted last year at Tamenglong's Chiuluan bamboo forest near the bank of Barak river and found around 1,41,274 such birds there.