Australia's 'Firehawks': Myth or Reality? Birds Spreading Bushfires Uncovered

• Indigenous knowledge and scientific observations suggest Australian raptors, known as 'firehawks' (black kites, whistling kites, brown falcons), may intentionally spread bushfires.
• These birds are reported to carry burning sticks in their talons or beaks and drop them onto dry vegetation, potentially igniting new fires.
• While initially dismissed as myth, growing eyewitness accounts from firefighters and Indigenous communities support this behaviour, though definitive video evidence is lacking.
• Raptors gather near fire fronts to hunt prey flushed out by flames and scavenge burned animals, a behaviour observed globally.
• Understanding firehawk behaviour could significantly impact fire management strategies and reveal complex ecological adaptations to Australia's fire-shaped landscapes.

Why It Matters: Australia's 'firehawks' may intentionally spread bushfires, challenging perceptions and impacting fire management.