As fighter jets get ready to streak across Delhi’s skies for the Republic Day air show, authorities are once again turning to an unconventional but carefully planned method to reduce the risk of bird strikes — by feeding the birds elsewhere.
According to a report by PTI, the Delhi Forest Department will deploy more than 1,270 kilograms of boneless chicken to manage the movement of black kites, a species commonly seen over the capital and considered a potential hazard during low-altitude aerial manoeuvres.
The preventive exercise, carried out every year ahead of the January 26 Republic Day celebrations, is coordinated with the Indian Air Force and is aimed at keeping birds away from sensitive air corridors during fly-pasts.
“This is an annual preventive exercise undertaken before the Republic Day air show,” a senior Forest Department official told PTI. “Birds like black kites are naturally attracted to open areas and food sources. If they enter the flying corridor, they can pose a serious hazard to aircraft.”
What’s Different This Year
Officials said that 2026 marks a small but notable shift in strategy. For the first time, the department has replaced buffalo meat with chicken as the primary feed.
“Earlier, buffalo meat was used. This year, we are using chicken meat,” the official said, adding that the change was made to balance wildlife management concerns with the smooth conduct of the national event.
Targeted Feeding To Divert Birds
The operation will run from January 15 to January 26 across 20 identified locations in the capital. These include high-risk zones such as the Red Fort and Jama Masjid, where black kite activity is usually high. Other feeding points include areas near Mandi House, Delhi Gate and the Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences.
“These sites are selected every year based on bird movement patterns,” the official explained. “By feeding the birds at designated points, we ensure they remain away from the air show route while also being adequately fed.”
At each location, small pieces of chicken are thrown into the air so that birds remain engaged at lower altitudes and do not drift towards aircraft routes. The activity is repeated daily over nearly two weeks to help the birds adapt to the feeding pattern well before Republic Day.
Logistics Behind The Operation
To facilitate the exercise, the Delhi government’s Department of Forests and Wildlife has issued a short-term tender for the supply of 1,275 kg of boneless chicken. The meat will be delivered over seven days between January 15 and January 25, with daily consignments ranging from 170 kg to 255 kg.
All supplies will be delivered to the Wildlife Rescue Centre in Wazirabad. On an average day, about 200 to 400 kg of meat will be distributed across locations, with roughly 20 kg allocated to each site.
The tender specifies that the meat must be cut into 20–30 gram pieces and packed in five-kg packets to ensure uniform feeding and ease of distribution.
With rehearsals underway and aircraft preparing for low-flying displays, officials say the carefully choreographed feeding exercise is a critical — if unusual — part of ensuring that Delhi’s Republic Day celebrations unfold safely, both on the ground and in the skies.
