Beyond Amur falcons: Nagaland to undertake first bird count

Published: 11th Nov, 2022

Context

Nagaland is undertaking the first avian documentation exercise to go beyond Amur falcons, the migratory raptor that put the State on the world birding map.

About

Exercise Name: Tokhü Emong Bird Count (TEBC)
The exercise entails watching and counting birds from anywhere in Nagaland for at least 15 minutes and uploading the avian names on eBird (www.ebird.org/india), the bird recording platform.
The TEBC falls within the Salim Ali Bird Count, a nationwide event conducted by the Bombay Natural History Society.

Knowing the Species

Amur falcon (Falcon amurensis) is the world’s longest-travelling raptor.
The species is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and included under Schedule IV.
It comes under the category of Least Concern under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Tracking the Journey:

Duration: October-November
Amur falcons migrate to their wintering grounds in South Africa, usually arriving in large numbers during October in Nagaland and Manipur besides other places in the northeast, undertaking a yearly journey of about 20,000 km.
They leave the region in November after having enough food for their non-stop flight to Africa where they spend their winters.

From the Indian coast, they start crossing the Indian Ocean, a journey that takes about 4 days.
The front between the two main atmospheric pressure systems in the region, The Intertropical Convergence Zone, is moving southwestward at this time, bringing with it, prevailing southwestward winds.
The falcons are thought to use these winds to carry them towards Africa.

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Beyond Amur falcons: Nagaland to undertake first bird count