Hungarian ornithologists working at the world's largest falcon roost site in Angola

Hungarian researchers and filmmakers set off to Angola to tag 50 Red-footed Falcons with satellite trackers and at the same time document the world's largest raptor roost site.

After 10 years of search, Hungarian researchers of Falcoproject finally located the largest falcon roost place in the world in Angola. The site was discovered in 2019 while following the signals of Red-footed Falcons that the scientists satellite-tagged previously in the breeding sites in Hungary. It turned out that nearly one million Red-footed Falcons roost at the recently discovered site in Huambo, Angola before they head north for their spring migration.

Falcoproject's goal is to share this extraordinary scientific find with the world in a 360-degree video and road movie and to conduct further research. On March 16, four researchers and four filmmakers departed to Africa to prepare a photo report, commissioned by National Geographic, and to satellite-tag 50 Red-footed Falcons in Angola.

Furthermore, Falcoproject plans to work closely with local ornithologists and other stakeholders to stop mass hunting and bushmeat trade, which form a large threat to the roosting birds in Angola. One way to achieve this is to show the local population how to generate income from nature and birdwatching-related tourism.

Updates of the currently ongoing scientific work and filming can be followed on Falcoproject's Facebook page and on the social channels of Birdlife Hungary (MME - Magyar Madártani Egyesület).

Featured image via Falcoproject Facebook page