Delhi's big chicken plan to keep skies safe on Republic Day
To make sure jets stay safe during the Republic Day air show, the Delhi Forest Department is rolling out a creative fix: using 1,275kg of boneless chicken to lure black kites away from flight paths.
This team-up with the Indian Air Force is all about keeping birds—and pilots—out of each other's way during those dramatic low-flying stunts.
Chicken takes over as bird bait this year
Switching things up, they're ditching buffalo meat and going with chicken this year.
From January 15-26, small pieces will be scattered across 20 sensitive zones—think Red Fort, Jama Masjid, and more—to tempt birds away from the action.
How it works: feeding for safety
Each site gets about 20kg of chicken per day (that's roughly 400kg daily), packed in 20 to 30-gram pieces, in five-kg packets, and delivered to the Wildlife Rescue Centre in Wazirabad.
It's a practical move that blends wildlife management with air safety—making sure everyone enjoys the show without any mid-air surprises.