Amur Falcon Watching at Doyang

Each autumn, Amur falcons — small raptors that breed in Siberia and northern China — gather in vast numbers around the Doyang reservoir in Wokha district before an astonishing non-stop flight across the Arabian Sea to southern Africa. In peak years their numbers have been estimated in the hundreds of thousands to over a million, making it one of the great wildlife spectacles on Earth.

The best experience is at dawn and dusk, when the falcons rise from their roosting trees in swirling clouds that darken the sky and then settle again as the light fades. During the day they hunt insects over the hills. Local guides from Pangti and nearby villages take visitors to viewpoints around the reservoir.

Doyang is also a conservation success. Until 2012, large numbers of falcons were trapped here for food. A campaign by conservationists, the media, churches and village councils ended the hunting, and the community now protects the birds and welcomes visitors. Visiting supports local livelihoods linked to conservation.