By Stephen Beech via SWNS
Falcons devour TWO BILLION termites in just two weeks during their biannual migration, reveals new research.
One million Amur Falcons munch their way through the massive amount of insects in just over 15 days say scientists.
They explained that northeast India provides a “crucial” stopover site for the species as they “refuel” before crossing the Arabian Sea – the longest known flight over water by raptors anywhere in the world.
Amur Falcons are small raptors that engage in a transcontinental migration twice per year.
Their autumn migration takes them from their breeding grounds in northern Asia all the way down to southern Africa.
To achieve the 2,000-mile flight over the Arabian Sea, they must first stock up on protein-rich food – and termites are their chosen feast.
Study lead author Amarjeet Kaur, of the Wildlife Institute of India, and her colleagues identified Nagaland, in northeast India, as a critical “stopover site” for the Amur Falcon.
She said that, as insectivores, Amur Falcons are likely dependent on the termites to complete their migration, making this area a potentially “critical” conservation priority.
To determine the importance of insects in the diet of the Amur Falcon during migration, the research team examined more than 1,000 regurgitated pellets collected from beneath a prominent Amur Falcon roosting site in Nagaland.
The pellets, which are composed of indigestible prey remains, revealed high percentages of body parts belonging to two species of fungus-growing termites, Odontotermes feae and Odontotermes horni.
The termites appeared to be the most prevalent prey for the falcons and between three different roost sites.
The researchers also saw large numbers of Amur Falcons feasting on swarms of termites, offering further evidence that the insects are highly prized by the falcons.
They say termites contain an easily digestible form of protein and high levels of fat, a fact verified by local hunters who call Amur Falcons “loi” meaning “insect eater.”
Earlier local hunters used to harvest falcons towards the end of their stopover season because their consumption of termites resulted in a rich layer of fat.
Today, local residents are heavily involved in the protection of the falcons, and communities have shifted away from hunting Amur Falcons during migration season.
Study senior author Dr. Suresh Kumar, also of the Wildlife Institute of India, said: “Local communities in Nagaland and neighboring States of Manipur and Assam have independently begun setting aside community lands for the protection of not only Amur Falcons but for all biodiversity in the area.
“Given that Nagaland is predominantly governed by community-owned land, conservation actions are significantly shaped by local residents.”
The research team says their findings, published in the Journal of Raptor Research, are important because they “reframe” the importance of stopover sites in the annual cycles of the Amur Falcon, particularly the pre-Arabian Sea refueling area of Nagaland.
They were surprised by the strength in association between the Amur Falcons and the termites.
Kaur said: “It appears that termites are the exclusive prey in this region, and the synchronization between termite emergence and the presence of Amur Falcons is remarkable.”
She says, as long-distance migrants the falcons are tied to a tight schedule and therefore, they are potentially “vulnerable” to environmental change that could create a mismatch in this termite-falcon synchronization.
The researchers say climate change has already affected the behaviour of other long-distance migrants such as Great Knots and Bar-tailed Godwits
The new study also highlights the contribution that insect-eating raptors, such as the Amur Falcon, make in regulating insect populations, a fact further verified by studies of the falcons on their wintering grounds in southern Africa.
The research team also wants to conduct a detailed study of how termites vary across the different sites.
Kaur said: “We need to determine if the termite swarming events are cyclic in nature and how they might be influenced by climatic factors, particularly monsoonal rains.”
She added: “Amur Falcon conservation requires a landscape-scale approach.”
