Amur Falcon tagged in Manipur begins 22,000 km return to Siberia

A male Amur Falcon named Chiuluan 2, radio-tagged in Manipur’s Tamenglong district last November, has begun its incredible return flight to Siberia after spending 114 days across Southern Africa.

On October 12 last year, Chiuluan 2 and a female falcon named Guangram were tagged with satellite transmitters by scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). Named after two local roosting villages, the birds arrived from Siberia as part of their annual migratory cycle.

WII senior scientist Dr. Suresh Kumar, who has been tracking the falcons, confirmed that Chiuluan 2 started its northward journey from Botswana on April 8. “It has already flown across Zimbabwe and Tanzania and is now near the Kenya-Somalia border,” Kumar said.

The falcon had reached South Africa on December 20 last year after leaving Manipur on November 8, and later settled in Botswana's Central Kalahari Reserve, spending over a month there.

Kumar estimates the bird may begin its daring oceanic crossing in about 10 days—a critical leg of the return journey to its Siberian breeding grounds.

Also Read: Meiteis abort Manipur's Thangjing hills pilgrimage amid objection from Kukis

During its southbound journey in November, Chiuluan 2 flew across Bangladesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, and the Arabian Sea before reaching Eastern Africa.

Divisional Forest Officer of Tamenglong, Kh Hitler Singh, highlighted that these falcons typically bypass their original stopovers—like Manipur—on their return journey. “They’ll come back to Tamenglong in October, after the breeding season in the Amur River region,” he said.

Sadly, Guangram, the female falcon, stopped transmitting data near Kenya in December.

Amur Falcons are known for one of the longest migrations among birds, covering approximately 22,000 km annually—from the chilling climates of Siberia and Northern China to the warmth of Southern Africa. Locally known as Akhuaipuina, they stop in Nagaland, Manipur, and other Northeastern regions for about 45 days to feed and prepare for their transcontinental flights.

This ongoing study is crucial in understanding the migratory patterns of these resilient raptors and underlines the importance of international conservation efforts along their route.