Lake · Nagaland
Doyang Reservoir (Wokha)
Hydro reservoir where hundreds of thousands of Amur falcons roost every October–November.
Quick facts
- Best season
- Late October – early November for falcons; October – April generally
- Duration
- 1–2 nights
- Altitude
- ≈350 m
- Nearest town
- Wokha / Pangti (Wokha)
- Permit
- Nagaland Inner Line Permit (ILP) required for all non-indigenous visitors; foreign nationals also need a Protected Area Permit (PAP). Verify before travel.
About Doyang Reservoir
The Doyang reservoir in Wokha district, Lotha Naga country, is the site of one of the greatest wildlife spectacles in Asia. Every year from around late October to early November, huge flocks of Amur falcons — small raptors that breed in Siberia and northern China — stop here to roost and feed on swarming insects before an epic non-stop flight across the Arabian Sea to southern Africa. In peak years, numbers have been estimated in the hundreds of thousands or more.
The story behind the spectacle is remarkable. Until 2012, tens of thousands of falcons were trapped for food each year around Pangti village. After conservation groups and journalists highlighted the slaughter, the local community, church leaders and government worked together to end the hunting. Pangti and nearby villages now protect the birds and welcome visitors, and the state holds an Amur Falcon festival.
At dawn and dusk the falcons rise from the roosting trees around the reservoir in swirling clouds. Outside the migration, the reservoir is a quiet, scenic lake for boat rides, and Wokha town and Mount Tiyi are nearby.
How to reach Doyang Reservoir
Pangti is about 30 km from Wokha town and around 120 km (4 hours) from Kohima or 4 hours from Jorhat.
Things to do
Places near Doyang Reservoir
Doyang Reservoir FAQs
When can I see Amur falcons at Doyang?
From about late October to early November, with the best displays at dawn and dusk.
Where do the falcons go next?
They fly non-stop across the Arabian Sea to wintering grounds in southern and eastern Africa.
Where do visitors stay?
Simple homestays and camps around Pangti village, or hotels in Wokha town.
Facts checked against: en.wikipedia.org · sanctuarynaturefoundation.org · en.wikipedia.org. Conditions change — verify timings and permits before travel.