JAIPUR: There is a new migration path of the satellite-tracked Amur falcons, a lesser known threatened species of raptors that would surprise ornithologists. The birds that usually travelled through Maharashtra and Gujarat, were for the first time spotted in Rajasthan in early May.
"These raptors travel one of the longest migration routes among all birds, travel half way across the globe each year doing up to 22,000 km. But so far Rajasthan was never anticipated on their route by ornithologists,"said Dr Dau Lal Bohra from Save Vulture Community. In 2013 in a conservation effort, Naga, Pangti and Wokha, three Amur falcons were fitted with satellite chips in Nagaland to track their migration route that was unknown to ornithologists. The birds were named after Pangti village and Wokha district respectively, where they were satellite-tagged and released in Nagaland's Doyang forest. The satellite-tagging was a collaborative effort of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS-UNEP), Birdlife Hungary, ministry of environment, forest & climate change (MOEFCC) and the Nagaland forest department.
"The entire migration route of Amur falcons from Nagaland to South Africa, Mongolia and back to Nagaland has been scientifically plotted. Scientists now have confirmed that a satellite-tagged Amur falcon 'Naga' has travelled through Rajasthan. The raptor has for the first time travelled through Barmer, Phalodi, Bikaner and Jhunjhunu. At the moment it is flying over Hebei, China,"said Dr Bohra. The satellite imaging of 'Naga' in Rajasthan proves that this could be the migratory route for many other migratory species and raptors.
Every year from October, Amur falcons start flying down to Doyang from Mongolia, Northern China and south-eastern Siberia to escape the harsh winters and to roost here before starting off on their journey to the warmer climes of South Africa. About a million Amur falcons come to Doyang to roost. While Naga and Pangti were able to make it to Doyang in 2014, Wokha, the female bird, couldn't. "The bird breeds in south-eastern Siberia and northern China before migrating in large flocks across India and over the Arabian Sea to winter in southern Africa. So far, the route of these raptors was unclear to the ornithologists. Birds going over India are thought to be aided by strong winds blowing westward. These winds are strong at an altitude of about 3,000m and the birds are thought to fly at a height of above 1,000m during migration,"said Bohra.
Researchers estimated that in the past, between 1,20,000 and 1,40,000 birds were being trapped and killed for human consumption in just one location in Nagaland at the Doyang roost site in Wokha district each year. As a part of conservation campaign, three birds were fitted with 5 gm satellite transmitters that allowed them to be tracked during their migration.
