Two Amur Falcons return to Manipur after journey across 23 countries

Manipur:- Two Amur Falcons, Apapang and Alang, have returned to Manipur after travelling through 23 countries across Africa and Asia, completing a remarkable round-trip migration and nearly a year of satellite tracking.

Sharing the information by the Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, said the two migratory birds arrived in Manipur yesterday, 11 days after leaving their breeding grounds in northeastern China.

“They were tagged by scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in November 2025 to study their long-distance migration patterns” he said.

The falcons are now expected to spend two to three weeks at selected stopover sites in the mountainous Tamenglong district of Manipur. Local communities, who eagerly await their annual return, play a crucial role in protecting the migratory birds.

During their stay, the falcons will feed on termites emerging in and around their stopover sites, building essential fat reserves for the next stage of their journey.

A journey to India through 23 countries!

Having started from their breeding areas in northeastern China 11 days ago, the two Amur Falcons Apapang and Alang arrived in Manipur yesterday. This marks the successful completion of their nearly year-long tracking and also their… pic.twitter.com/5S0PbUR6eQ

— Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) October 23, 2026

The birds will then undertake an extraordinary six-day, non-stop flight of nearly 6,000 kilometres to Somalia, including a 3,000-kilometre crossing over the Arabian Sea.

Known for their exceptional endurance, Amur Falcons undertake one of the longest migrations among birds of prey. Their return to Manipur highlights the importance of the region as a vital stopover along their international migratory route and the role of local communities in wildlife conservation.