‘Longleng’ the Amur Falcon returns to India

A female amur falcon, named Longleng, has returned to India from Somalia en route to the breeding grounds in northern China.

Amur Falcon

Amur falcons are members of the falcon family and are known by the scientific name of Falco amurensis. They are known for their long migratory routes stretching from eastern Siberia and northern China to southern Africa via India and the Arabian Sea.

Conservation Status

Amur falcons are categorised as species of least concern by IUCN. They have a large population size and a wide breeding range. Earlier, these birds were captured and hunted en mass in Nagaland. A 2012 media campaign has successfully reduced this threat to the birds.

Longleng

Longleng is a female amur falcon that was radio-tagged in October 2016 as a part of a study to understand the migration route and pattern of these birds. Longleng was named after a district in Nagaland. Other radio-tagged birds under this project are Chiulon, Puching, Phalong, etc.