Thousands of Amur falcons, small birds of prey that undertake one of the longest migrations, started arriving on October 7 in Wokha district. Wokha district is a declared second home of the Amur falcons.
Most bird catchers have turned bird lovers, and the species is recognised as friends of the tribals. The falcons eat various insects, thus helping farmers. The turnaround is a radical change from the past, when hundreds of trussed up Amur falcons would be on sale in village markets and towns, while some would be sold fried or smoked.
On a visit to the Doyang lake areas on November 15, 2015, he announced that it would be developed as an eco-tourism spot for 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. The species flies non-stop from Mongolia to northeast India covering 5,600 km in five days and nights, a small part of its 22,000 km circular migratory journey. The birds halt briefly in Myanmar. After a month or so, they reach central and western India en route to South Africa.