As thousands of Amur Falcons perched themselves on tree tops in Tyrso and Umru in Ri-Bhoi District, the local villagers are also geared up to welcome these migratory birds through the 7th Amur Falcon Festival 2023 on November 14-15 at Tyrso.
The festival is being organised by Tyrso Valley Wildlife Protection Society (TVWPS) which is instrumental in protecting Amur Falcons in the area since the last seven years.
Amur Falcon Festival has been held every year since 2015 at Tyrso to mark one of the biggest bird migrations in the world in this remote area of Ri-Bhoi.
TVWPS secretary Alos Nongpoh said that the main objective of the festival is to spread the message of conservation and to create awareness to people of the area not to kill or harm wildlife.
“Tyrso and Umru are two villages in Ri-Bhoi where Amur Falcons visit every year during late October to November. We have also taken a decision along with all local villagers since 2015 not to kill these birds,” Nongpoh added.
Stating that TVWPS along with local villagers and headmen wanted the Tourism Department to add the Amur Falcon Festival on the tourism calendar of the State, Nongpoh said that the State government should turn its eyes to Umru and Tyrso by providing better road connectivity, tourism infrastructure and also to put these two villages on the tourism map of the State in order that tourists and bird watchers could come and enjoy the spectacular sight.
Nongpoh also appealed to people of the State to come and enjoy this year’s Amur Falcon Festival where lots of activities will take place to give the visitors something new that they could enjoy.
Amur Falcons, the migratory birds originally from South Africa, arrive in North East India from Siberia en route to their final destination Somalia, Kenya and South Africa. These little raptors cover a distance of 22,000 kilometres in a year during their migration.
They flock to Umru and Tyrso village in Ri-Bhoi district along their migratory route r and stay on for about a month and a half before they fly to their next destination in Nagaland.
