19/05/2025
For generations, Aboriginal Australians told stories of birds that start fires. These accounts were often dismissed as myth... until now.
Recent research confirms that at least three species of raptors in Australia — the black kite (Milvus migrans), the whistling kite (Haliastur sphenurus), and the brown falcon (Falco berigora) — intentionally spread wildfires. They pick up burning sticks with their beaks or claws and drop them into dry grass to flush out prey. As animals flee the fires, the birds feast.
It’s a rare and remarkable example of tool use in birds — and a reminder that traditional knowledge often sees the truth long before science catches up. 🔥🦅
