November 21, 2024: A remarkable feat of migratory endurance has been achieved by one of the two satellite-tagged Amur Falcons, as it reached its first stopover site in Somalia in just five days and 17 hours after embarking on a non-stop journey from India.

The Amur Falcon, named “Chiuluan2” after a village in Manipur’s Tamenglong district, started its incredible migration on Sunday morning from Guhagar in Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri. The bird, tagged for research purposes by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), flew continuously across the Arabian Sea and arrived in Somalia by Tuesday evening, around 7 p.m. Indian time.

R. Suresh Kumar, a scientist at WII, has been closely monitoring the bird’s journey. He stated that the non-stop flight from India to Somalia was a significant milestone in tracking the migratory path of these incredible long-distance travelers. “Chiuluan2” was observed to be flying along the route of Scotora Island, located at the tip of the Great Horn of Africa, on Monday.

The two Amur Falcons, Chiuluan2 and “Guangram,” were released on November 8 from the Chiluluan roosting site in Tamenglong, Manipur, after being fitted with satellite transmitters to study their migratory patterns. The release was a collaborative effort by the Manipur Forest Department, WII, and local residents, aimed at understanding the environmental challenges and routes taken by these birds during their long journey.

While “Chiuluan2” has now reached Somalia, the other falcon, Guangram, remains at the Chiluluan roosting site in Tamenglong, continuing its journey at its own pace.

The migration of Amur Falcons, known for being the longest traveling birds in the world, has long fascinated ornithologists.