Amur Falcons

About Amur Falcon

• It is a small migratory bird of prey belonging to the family Falconidae.
• It is known for its remarkable long-distance migration.
• Scientific name: Its scientific name is Falco amurensi.
• Named after: It is named after the Amur River, which runs through its breeding grounds in the Far East.
• Habitat: It is found in open forests, grasslands, wetlands and agricultural landscapes.
• Distribution:  In India, it is primarily found during their migration in the northeastern states, especially in Nagaland, Manipur, and parts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
  • It is locally known as ‘Kahuaipuina.’
  • Note: The Doyang Reservoir in Nagaland is particularly famous as a significant roosting site for tens of thousands of Amur Falcons during their annual migration.
  • It breeds in southeastern Siberia, northern China, and Mongolia, and winters in southern Africa.
• Diet: Its diet primarily consists of insects, particularly locusts and termites, which they catch in flight.
• Characteristics:
  • Appearance: It is small in size, with males and females differing slightly in appearance.
  • Males have slate-gray plumage with reddish-brown thighs and undertail coverts, and reddish-orange feet.
  • Females are larger and have a more mottled, brownish-gray appearance with streaked underparts, making them more camouflaged.
  • Both sexes have distinct black eye masks and yellow ceres (the soft tissue at the base of their beaks).
• Migration:
  • After the breeding season, it undertake a remarkable migration of approximately 22,000 km to southern Africa.
  • Its route includes an incredible non-stop flight over the Arabian Sea, where they travel more than 3,000 kilometers without resting. This migration is one of the longest recorded for any raptor species.
• Threat: It is primarily threatened by hunting during migration and habitat loss at roosting sites, and changing weather patterns.
• Conservation status:
  • IUCN:  Least Concern
  • Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972:  Schedule IV