These Types Of Birds Got Their Nickname By Starting Forest Fires On Purpose

Wildfires are always terrifying, as they can quickly get out of control and destroy forests and towns in a matter of hours. Usually, these fires start due to a careless hiker, or lightning, among other factors. However, in Australia, stories passed down through generations and eyewitness accounts suggest there may be another reason wildfires start; birds. Specifically, ones locally known as firehawks. It's not just one type of bird that likes to set things on fire, either. There are three different species known for their pyromaniac behaviors; the Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus), the Black Kite (Milvus migrans), and the Brown Falcon (Falco berigora). Though they are different animals, they all fall under one nickname, "Firehawks" or "Firehawk Raptors."

Unlike the birds of legends, these are not able to make their own fire. So what they do is find flames that are already established, usually a wildfire, pick up a burning plant or stick, and drop it somewhere else. They've also been reported to steal flaming branches from cooking fires. 

Firehawks are found to be pretty selective when choosing where to drop the branch, and therefore show some control over the flames they create. Though these three species are found in many other parts of the world, it's not yet clear if they are known to start fires outside of Australia. 

Thankfully, while reports about birds creating fire have been passed down for centuries, it's not terribly common. Over decades, it might only be witnessed a handful of times. But, since wildfires are dangerous, scientists are looking into how these fire-starting birds influence their ecosystems, including fellow raptors.

According to one 2017 study published in the Journal of Ethnobiology, "Observers report both solo and cooperative attempts, often successful, to spread wildfires intentionally via single-occasion or repeated transport of burning sticks in talons or beaks." There's no doubt these fires help out birds of prey, whether or not they start a fire. As it grows, many small animals run out of their usual hiding places to escape, which makes them easy pickings. Some are unfortunately not able to make it out of the flames in time, and the raptors pick at the charred remains.

While new fires are good for these hunters, it's frustrating for firefighters in the area. Having firehawks turn around and start another one is expensive and dangerous. According to The New York Times, some firefighters have reported that a carefully placed burning stick by one of these firehawks can quickly make a wildfire grow to the point that it's uncontrollable. Other times, a team will leave a scene after putting one out, only to get a report from someone who encountered wildfire smoke while on a hike or saw traces of new flames several hours after the team leaves. 

Though this information has been passed down for generations, there is no actual evidence of firehawks starting fires, according to Audobon. Since the sticks are often picked up from wildfires, it's hard to get close enough to watch a bird pick up a stick and drop it somewhere to make a fire, much less take a picture or video. Plus, it's not always easy to tell if a fire is due to a bird or because someone didn't take the proper precautions to prevent starting a wildfire. 

Additionally, these birds often flock to fires, so it's not rare to see dozens of them flying around. Trying to pick out one or two birds holding flaming sticks amongst the crowd isn't an easy feat. The main author of the 2017 study, Dr. Mark Bonta, has a rough hypothesis that birds have long used fire to help them hunt, and people actually figured out how to control and use the flames from the birds.

Right now, with no evidence, there are many skeptics. Not necessarily about if the birds are dropping burning sticks – but whether or not it is purposeful or just something they are doing accidentally. However, there are also scientists who believe firehawks are plenty smart to figure out how to start a fire, such as Steve Debus, who is a predatory bird expert at the University of New England. "I think black kites and brown falcons are sufficiently intelligent to intentionally spread fires by dropping burning embers because black kites have been seen to drop bread scraps from picnic areas into nearby waterholes to bait fish within striking range," He told the Daily Mail.