AMUR FALCON

Subject : Environment

Context: An Amur falcon was sighted earlier this week on the campus of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) at Kodiakkarai, abutting the Point Calimere Sanctuary.

Concept :

• The Amur Falcon is a long-distance Migratory bird. It is a small raptor of the falcon family
• Breeding: It breeds in south-eastern Siberia and Northern China before migrating in large flocks across India and over the Arabian Sea to winter in Southern Africa
• It travels around 22,000 kms which is one of the longest distances to be travelled by a bird
• At just 150 grams, an Amur falcon, Falco amurensis is a small bird, the male mostly grey in colour, and the females having dark-streaked cream or orange underparts.
• IUCN status: Least concerned
• Amur Falcon is protected under both the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and Convention on Migratory species
• It is also listed in Appendix II of CITES.