The professor has submitted his first research papers mentioning that the Eastern red-footed Falcon, one of the least talked-about species and not sighted easily, was spotted for two successive days while it was migrating from China to South Africa. Earlier, spotted in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, the Falcon crosses 22,000 kilometres via India and halts in MP and Chhattisgarh as well.

Dr Sushil Dutta, head of department, Zoology of Government PG College, Jagdalpur sharing his report told TOI, "On November last year this bird first descended to the north eastern side of the Rajnagar tank, about 26 kilometres from Jagdalpur. Then moved on to a nearby power line, some small flights and again perched on the power line. Very next morning on one bird of the same species was sighted perched on the power line. Soon after it flew away across the farm house, reacting to the loud, baying music coming from the farm house. These birds, on their trans-equatorial migration come from China and north east and fly across to the South Africa in the south west and Bastar seems to be the pathway on the route."

Dr Dutta added that they usually return in March-April from South Africa and fly away to far north east. But in February, March and April I made several visits to the spot where I had sighted the bird but it was not to be seen."

It is the first ever photographic documentation of the bird in Central India. The two sighting events revealed most of the morphological characters helpful for identification. Both individuals sighted are females on the basis of field characters like whitish cheeks contrast with dark ashy-brown crown; yellowish orange cere and pale orange-yellow base to bill and dull orange legs and feet are remarkable pointers, he explained.

Talking to TOI, prominent ecologist ML Naik said, "Certainly it's a good report to know that now area of distribution of species has been observed to be wider than expected earlier. Such news for state is good if rare species of birds feel safe and get food they might stay longer, which is also an indication that state's area is safer and suitable for birds."

The need of the hour is Chhattisgarh should work more on ecology sincerely and with concentrated efforts in case of birds. As per one latest report, large water bodies have been recognized for conservation of birds in the list of 94 spots but Chhattisgarh despite being rich in lakes, dam and aquatic life got only one name in the list that's Tatapni at Balrampur, while the chances of wetlands are too high here. Poaching is rampant and needs to be controlled, Naik said.

However, this Amur Falcon species and similar species has been unreported from Central India till date. Only sighting record and not photographic evidence of one adult male and three females was done by Hashim Tyabji from Bandhavgarh Tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh.

Earlier, Falcon species has been also reported from Nellore, Rajmundry and Madurai districts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, and a single record from Kerala. This guest bird is significant for forest and ecology in India.

Of the 69 species of raptors known from India, Amur Falcon (Falco amurensis) was one of the least talked about species till recently.

Primarily recorded from northeast India, with a few scattered sight records in peninsular India, the species is generally considered rare.

All that changed following a report by Conservation India in October 2012 of the massive large scale harvest of these falcons in Nagaland. Researchers estimated that between 120,000 and 140,000 individuals were being trapped and killed for human consumption in just one location in Nagaland at the Doyang roost site in Wokha district each year.