Two migratory birds, the Amur Falcon (the bird with the longest migratory route of 22,000 km a year) and the Peregrine Falcon (which flies up to 250 km/hour) were spotted at Tata Power’s Lonavla Lake last month.

Tata Power said it had created ecological hotspots around its three hydro stations in Raigad. These hotspots for over four decades have played a significant role in driving environmental awareness and interest among nature lovers, especially from urban areas.

The birds were spotted by a team of Tata Power employees, along with a group of ornithologists. The team spotted the birds during a survey conducted at Lonavla and Walwhan.

Conservation effort

Mahesh Paranjpe, Head, Hydros, said “We are delighted with the spotting. This is an indication of a healthy and safe environment and our commitment towards conservation in and around our areas of operations”.

The Amur Falcon (Falco amurensis) is a small raptor of the falcon family. It breeds in south-eastern Siberia and Northern China, wintering in Southern Africa. This little raptor has one of the longest migration routes of all birds, doing up to 22,000 km in a year. The birds are unusual in that they migrate a large distance over the sea and also continue their journey at night. It is estimated that during the peak migration season, 12,000-14,000 birds are hunted for consumption and commercial sale every day.

The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), also known as the Peregrine, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae, The Peregrine is known for its speed, reaching over 250 km/hr during its characteristic hunting stoop (high speed dive).

The Peregrine Falcon became an endangered species in many areas because of pesticides. Since the ban on DDT from the early 1970s, its population has recovered, supported by large scale protection of nesting places and releases into the wild, Tata Power said.

> shanker.s@thehindu.co.in

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