Amur falcons Apapang, Alang return to Manipur after journey across 23 countries

Two satellite-tagged Amur falcons, Apapang and Alang, have returned to Manipur after travelling across 23 countries during their nearly year-long migration, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on October 23.

The birds arrived in Manipur on Thursday, 11 days after setting off from their breeding grounds in north-eastern China. Scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) tagged the two falcons in November 2025 to track their migration across Asia and Africa.

In a post on X, Yadav said their return marked the completion of their round-trip journey since being tagged, highlighting the remarkable distances covered by the migratory birds.

The falcons are expected to spend the next two to three weeks at selected sites in the mountainous areas of Manipur’s Tamenglong district. Local communities in the region, which has become an important stopover for the birds, await their annual arrival and help protect them.

During their stay, the falcons will feed on termites around their stopover sites to build up fat reserves required for the next phase of their migration.

According to Yadav, the birds will then undertake a six-day, non-stop flight of nearly 6,000 km from Manipur to Somalia, including a crossing of about 3,000 km over the Arabian Sea.

Amur falcons are known for their long-distance migrations, travelling between their breeding grounds in north-eastern Asia and wintering areas in Africa. Their annual arrival in Manipur has also drawn attention to the role of local communities in protecting the species during its migration.