Amur Falcon:
Manipur’s Tamenglong district gears up to welcome its winged guests, Amur falcon and the district administration imposed a ban on hunting, catching, killing and selling of the bird.
- Amur Falcon is a small raptorof the falcon family.
- These are locally known as Akhuipuina, the bird arrives mainly in Manipur and Nagaland.
- They breed in south-eastern Siberia and Northern Chinaand migrate long distances in large flocks to winter in Southern and East Africa.
- The one-way journey via India is about 20,000 km long and the birds do this twice a year.
- It is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and included under its Schedule IV.
- Hunting of the birds or possessing its meat is punishable with imprisonment up to three years or a fine upto 25,000 or with bonds.
- In 2018, the forest department started a conservation programme by radio-tagging the birds to study their migratory route.
- IUCN:Least Concern.
- Threats:Illegal trapping and killing during migration, habitat loss from agricultural practices and land reclamation.
