Not Locusts... These Are Birds
<p><strong>Not Locusts… These Are Birds!</strong></p>
<p>Have you ever read descriptions of massive Passenger Pigeon flocks literally darkening the skies? Do numbers impress you? Then look no further than the incredibly large number of Amur Falcons <em>Falco amurensis</em> that flock over the Doyang reservoir in Nagaland each year. Ornithologists place their numbers in the millions as these birds gather to rest and store energy en route to the African coast on their onward journey to Somalia, Kenya and South Africa. Those of you interested, could catch this breathtaking, natural history phenomenon that usually occurs this month, in October. Your presence would not just offer you an experience of a lifetime, but would also support local tourism, which aids the conservation of these small raptors that were once (possibly still?) hunted and sold as food in local markets.</p>
<p><strong>Photo: Dr. Anish Andheria</strong></p>
