News Highlight
Amur falcons, the world’s longest-traveling raptors, have started arriving in the various forests of Manipur, mostly in the Tamenglong district.
Key Takeaway
Invoking the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, of 1972, the district administrations of Tamenglong , Senapati and Ukhrul have banned the killing, hunting, catching and selling of migratory birds.
Amur Falcon
- About
- The Amur falcon is a small raptor of the falcon family.
- Scientifically termed as ‘Falco amurensis’.
- Distribution and Migration
- They breed in Siberia and Northern China and migrate to winter in Southern Africa.
- Migrates west through India and across the Arabian Sea to Southern Africa.
- Name
- They get their name from the Amur River which forms the border between Russia and China.
- Feeding
- The Amur falcons feed mostly on insects, mainly mid-air.
- Conservation Status
- The birds are the least concern under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
- Protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
- It is also listed in Appendix II of CITES ( The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
- Threats
- Illegal trapping and killing during migration,
- Prone to habitat loss from agricultural practices and land reclamation.
- Amur Falcon and India
- Doyang Lake in Nagaland is better known as a stopover for the Amur falcons during their annual migration from their breeding grounds to warmer South Africa.
- Thus, Nagaland is also known as the “Falcon Capital of the World,”.
- Apart from Nagaland, these birds visit parts of Manipur and Assam.
Content Source: Times of India