Amur Falcon

Amur Falcon Latest News

Recently, the two satellite-tagged Amur Falcons (Falco amurensis) have returned to Manipur after travelling across 23 countries in Asia and Africa.  

About Amur Falcon

• It is a migratory raptor of the falcon family.
• Other Names: Eastern Red-footed Falcon, Eastern Red-footed Kestrel, Manchurian Falcon, and Red-legged Falcon.
• Habitat: It is found across open forests, grasslands, wetlands and agricultural landscapes.
• Distribution: They breed in southeastern Siberia and Northern China and migrate long distances in large flocks to winter in Southern and East Africa.
  • Along the way, large numbers pass through India, with the biggest congregations seen in the northeastern states mainly in Nagaland, Manipur, and parts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
• Features
  • The male and female are distinctly different. 
  • The male is a dark, sooty grey, with brownish-red thighs and vent. 
  • When flying, a white lining of the male’s wings stands out against the sooty grey. 
  • The female has a pattern common among many falcon species, with a dark spotted chest and vent against a white background and a darker, grey back. 
  • A distinctive feature of both the male and the female is the orange of the eye-ring, beak base (the cere) and feet. 
  • In addition to speed and strength, these birds are known to have keen eyesight for detecting prey from a distance or during flight.
• Threats: Hunting during migration and habitat loss at roosting sites, and changing weather patterns.
• Conservation Status
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972:  Schedule IV

Source: News On Air

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