2025 Amur Falcon sighting

 

A termite in the foreground with speckles of Amurs

I wrote about the annual Amur Falcon migration last year and we were lucky to spot them this past weekend. It has been drier than usual in the area and thus we weren't sure if the Amur migration would be delayed. We checked our bird record and we tend to see them between March 15th and April 15th. A substantial amount of luck is required but we were eager to try in one of the places where we've had success in the past, Kisolanza Farm House. We even watched a webinar about the Amur migration to simply build the hype. 

The previous week had seen an increase in rainfall, though it still felt like we were on the verge of the full rainy season. We left Iringa town around 3 p.m., watching storms forming to the south and southwest. The conditions seemed perfect for the Amurs, so we scanned the skies frantically as we drove. Approaching Ifunda, we spotted a large group of birds. We pulled over to confirm and saw the diagnostic male with the contrasting white and black. Satisfied with our sighting, we continued on to Kisolanza.

Kisolanza has an open area to the south that offers great views of the sky. We parked and waited, hoping the falcons hadn’t already moved north. After about 15 minutes, they started coming our way. The rain had triggered a termite emergence, creating a feeding frenzy. We watched around 50 Amur Falcons hunting alongside a mixed flock of birds drawn to the feast. Speckled Mousebirds, a Tropical Boubou, acrobatic African Stonechats, and a pair of striking African Paradise Flycatchers all joined in.

The Amur Falcon migration is a real spectacle, and Kisolanza seems to be something of a hotspot. A few years ago, they even roosted overnight on the property. While sightings are never guaranteed, it’s as good a place as any to try your luck at seeing these incredible birds.