Over the years, black kites have emerged as one of the biggest challenges to safe flying operations at Pune Airfield, where the Indian Air Force (IAF) shares a runway with Pune Airport’s civilian operations. While bird strikes are a concern at airports worldwide, Pune presents a particularly complex challenge because rapid urbanisation and abundant food sources for scavenging birds coincide with intensive military and civilian flying activity.
One of the most common birds of prey in Indian cities, the black kite is especially problematic because of its flying behaviour, size and feeding habits, all of which increase the risk of collisions with aircraft during the most critical phases of flight, IAF officials said.
An IAF officer who served as Air Safety Officer at key Air Force bases, including Pune, said, “Unlike smaller birds, black kites typically weigh between 800 grams and 1.3 kilograms. At the high speeds achieved by military aircraft, especially fighter jets, during take-off or landing, even a single bird strike can generate enormous impact. If ingested into a jet engine, the bird can damage compressor blades, trigger engine failure or force pilots to abort missions or make emergency landings. Fighter aircraft accelerate rapidly and operate at low altitudes immediately after take-off, leaving pilots with very little time to avoid birds.”
The officer added, “They frequently soar hundreds of metres above the city using thermal currents. These altitudes overlap with aircraft during take-off and landing, when pilots have limited room to manoeuvre. Unlike migratory birds, black kites are permanent residents around Pune, making the hazard a year-round concern.”
Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol informed the Rajya Sabha last year that Pune airport recorded 39 bird-strike incidents in 2024 and another 11 between January and June 2025.
Mohol said the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the IAF and local authorities regularly coordinate through Airfield Environment Management Committee (AEMC) meetings involving the district administration, Pune Municipal Corporation and other stakeholders to maintain a safe environment for flight operations.
A shared runway with intensive flying activity
Pune Airfield is unique because it handles both military and civilian aviation. Along with fighter aircraft, the IAF operates transport aircraft and training missions, while scheduled passenger flights also use the same runway throughout the day, resulting in a high density of aircraft movements.
Open garbage remains the biggest challenge
The environment around the airfield provides ideal conditions for black kites to thrive.
“Being opportunistic scavengers, they feed on discarded meat, fish waste, animal carcasses and household garbage. Even if the runway is maintained meticulously, birds are drawn to food sources several kilometres away before flying across the airfield. Rapid urbanisation around Lohegaon has further increased feeding opportunities,” an officer said.
Aviation experts say the biggest challenge lies beyond the airfield’s perimeter. Open dumping of household garbage, food waste from hotels and markets, and animal carcasses attract black kites. Since the birds routinely travel several kilometres in search of food, those attracted to nearby dumping sites often cross the airfield during flight operations.
“Bird hazards are only part of the wider wildlife risk around the airfield. Stray dogs, rodents, lizards, wild hares, snakes and even jackals occasionally stray into operational areas, posing threats to aircraft during take-off and landing. Leopards have also been sighted in the vicinity, with one captured near the airfield last year, underscoring the need for constant wildlife surveillance,” an IAF officer said.
IAF’s multi-layered response
The IAF has adopted a multi-pronged approach to minimise bird and animal hazards. Dedicated bird patrols continuously monitor the airfield, while pyrotechnic devices, distress-call systems and other bird-dispersal measures are used to keep birds away from operational areas. Wildlife activity is tracked throughout the day to identify high-risk periods for flying.
According to an officer, black kites are remarkably adaptable. “Sirens, pyrotechnics or distress calls may disperse them briefly, but they often return within minutes. Because they soar on thermals rather than fly in fixed flocks, predicting their movement is difficult. A kite spotted at a distance can drift into an aircraft’s flight path within seconds.”
Officials stress that managing bird hazards is not solely an aviation issue but an urban environmental challenge requiring sustained action by multiple civic agencies.
One of the most common birds of prey in Indian cities, the black kite is especially problematic because of its flying behaviour, size and feeding habits. (File photo) 
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