ADILABAD: For five years, the Kawal Tiger Reserve waited. Then, during the Asian Water Bird Survey, a routine scan of the skies above Kistapur lake revealed that the peregrine falcon, the fastest bird on earth, had returned.
The sighting is more than a rare entry in a field notebook. For conservationists, it signals resilience and underlines the rich biodiversity thriving quietly within the reserve.
Wildlife researcher Dr Venkat Anagandhula, coordinator of the Hyderabad Tiger Conservation Society, identified and photographed the bird during the survey in the Jannaram range of Mancherial district. Accompanied by Jannaram Forest Divisional Officer M Rammohan, he was scanning the lake through binoculars when the distinctive silhouette caught his attention.
“It has been nearly five years since we last recorded the peregrine falcon in Kawal,” he says, recalling that in 2021 he had photographed one perched on a BSNL tower in Jannaram town.
Found on every continent except Antarctica, the peregrine falcon is renowned for its power and precision. During its hunting dive — known as a ‘stoop’ — it can exceed speeds of 320 kmph, making it the fastest animal in the world. From heights of up to 1.5 km, it plunges with missile-like accuracy to strike its prey.
These falcons migrate southwards during winter, escaping the severe cold of northern regions. Between October and November, many travel to India and neighbouring countries, returning to their breeding grounds by March or April.
The falcon’s reappearance in Kawal, Dr Venkat says, is a reminder that sustained conservation efforts can keep even the swiftest of wings returning to the same skies.