Amur Falcons Complete 20,000-km Migration to Manipur

Two satellite-tagged Amur falcons, Apapang and Alang, returned to Manipur on 22 October 2026 after a round-trip migration of nearly 20,000 km across 23 countries. Their route included a six-day, non-stop flight of nearly 6,000 km between northeast India and Somalia, including a crossing of about 3,000 km over the Arabian Sea.

Migration and seasonal range

The Amur falcon (Falco amurensis) is a migratory raptor that breeds in northeastern China and the Russian Far East. It winters in southern Africa, where birds reach between November and December and remain until March or April. They return to their breeding grounds by April or May.

Manipur and other parts of northeast India serve as stopover areas during the migration. Apapang and Alang are expected to spend two to three weeks at sites in the mountainous tracts of Tamenglong district. Amur falcons feed mainly on insects, including termites, ants, locusts and beetles; they can also eat mice, smaller birds and lizards. Termites at stopover areas help the birds build fat reserves before long flights.

Satellite tracking and route

Scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India fitted Apapang, Alang and a third falcon, Ahu, with satellite transmitters at the Chiuluan roosting site in Tamenglong district in November 2025. Tracking signals confirmed Apapang and Alang’s return to Manipur. Scientists lost contact with Ahu in Somalia earlier in 2026.

Satellite tracking records the birds’ movements and provides information on their stopover locations and duration. The tracked migration also documents long-distance flights between northeast India and Africa. Amur falcons spend part of the southern summer in Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Conservation in northeast India

The Amur falcon conservation project began in Nagaland in 2013 to address hunting at migration stopovers. The initiative later expanded to Manipur and Assam, with local communities participating in protection at roosting and stopover sites. Satellite tagging has taken place in different years, including 2019, 2024 and 2025. Three falcons were tagged in Manipur in November 2025.

Important Facts for Exams

• The Amur falcon is a migratory bird of prey with the scientific name Falco amurensis.
• Its breeding range includes northeastern China and the Russian Far East, while its wintering range includes southern Africa.
• The Arabian Sea lies between the Arabian Peninsula and the Indian subcontinent.
• The Wildlife Institute of India is based in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

Apapang and Alang completed a tracked round trip of nearly 20,000 km across 23 countries. Ahu’s satellite signal was lost in Somalia in 2026.