Guwahati: An Amur Falcon, radio-tagged in Manipur last November, has embarked on its return journey to Siberia after spending 114 days in Southern Africa, a scientist reported.
On October 12 of the previous year, two Amur Falcons arrived from Siberia in the Tamenglong district of Manipur. Scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) tagged the birds with radio transmitters. The male bird received the name ‘Chiuluan 2,’ and the female was named ‘Guangram,’ after two villages in the Tamenglong district where the birds roosted.
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Senior WII scientist Suresh Kumar, who is tracking the bird’s migratory path, shared with PTI, “Chiuluan 2 is now heading back to Siberia. It has already crossed Zimbabwe and Tanzania and is currently near the Kenya-Somalia border. The bird began its northward journey from Botswana on the morning of April 8.” Kumar explained that the bird, which departed Manipur on November 8, 2024, reached South Africa on December 20 after a remarkable flight. It then spent over a month in Botswana before starting its return journey.
Kumar further detailed, “Chiuluan 2 spent 114 days in Southern Africa, with 46 of those days spent in Botswana’s Central Kalahari Reserve before beginning its return journey.” He added, “I expect the bird to start crossing the ocean within the next 10 days.”
After being radio-tagged with satellite transmitters in Tamenglong, Chiuluan 2 was released on November 8, 2024. During its journey, the bird passed through Bangladesh, Odisha, and Maharashtra before crossing the Arabian Sea and reaching the Somalia-Kenya border in late November.
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Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Tamenglong, Kh Hitler Singh, explained the Amur Falcons’ migratory behavior to PTI: “Amur Falcons do not stop in Tamenglong on their return journey. They will come back in October after their breeding season in the Amur River region, which lasts from May to October.” Singh also noted that Guangram, the female bird also radio-tagged in Tamenglong, stopped transmitting satellite data somewhere near Kenya in December 2024.
Amur Falcons, known for migrating annually between Siberia and South Africa, travel approximately 14,500 km to reach their wintering grounds in Southern Africa. Singh further explained, “These birds begin their return journey in April or May and cover a distance of around 22,000 km annually.”
The research aims to track the migratory routes of one of the world’s longest-traveling birds. During their migration, Amur Falcons stop in areas like Nagaland, Manipur, and other parts of Northeast India, known locally as ‘Akhuaipuina,’ for around 45 days. Here, the birds rest and feed in preparation for the next leg of their long journey.