A common carp rests near the BNHS Bird Migration Study Center at Point Calimere after being thrown off their migration route by Cyclone Ditwah in Nagapattinam. Photo: Special arrangement
Cyclones often leave behind damaged roads, flooded neighborhoods and battered coastlines. This weekend, Cyclone Ditwah brought something unexpected to the shores of Tamil Nadu – two female Amur Falcons that were brought down from their long migration course at Point Calimere (Kodiyakarai).
The Amur falcon, a small raptor that breeds in southeastern Siberia and northern China, is one of the world’s most unusual migrants. It travels nearly 40,000 km each year, traversing the Central and West Asian flyways before crossing the Arabian Sea and reaching southern Africa. Its typical route across India lies along the Gujarat-Maharashtra corridor. Coastal Tamil Nadu is way off the beaten path.
However, this is not the first time that storms have washed away the Nagappattinam species. Point Calimere recorded its first ever Amur Falcon in 2020, following cyclones Nivar and Burevi. In November 2024, two more were spotted during Cyclone Fengal. Now that Cyclone Ditwah has moved through the bay, two female Amur peregrine falcons have reappeared near the BNHS Bird Migration Study Centre.
S. Sivakumar, Deputy Director, BNHS, said such observations underscore how cyclones change migration trajectories. “This is not their regular migration route. Amur falcons normally pass through Gujarat and Maharashtra. Strong cyclonic winds can blow them far from their viable route. We first recorded this species here in 2020. Now, during Cyclone Ditwah, two have reappeared,” he said.
For birds, Kodiyakarai is an unplanned stopover – a rare pause on an otherwise tireless transcontinental journey.
Published – 30 Nov 2025 18:23 IST
