Caption: Hawks hunting in and around a controlled brushfire, Mount Etna Caves National Park, Central Queensland. The birds are a mixture of Black Kites and Whistling Kites. - Courtesy of Mark Marathon (CC BY-SA 3.0)
THE world is home to thousands of bird species, each known for their remarkable intelligence and cognitive abilities.
We are all familiar with "The Crow And The Pitcher" from Aesop’s Fable, where a thirsty crow uses stones to raise the water level in a pitcher.
But could it be true that some birds intentionally start fires to hunt their prey?
Verdict:
TRUE
Interestingly enough, researchers have reported that certain birds, referred to as "firehawks," may indeed spread wildfires to lure out prey, although there is currently no physical evidence to support such behaviour.
According to several studies, some Australian birds deliberately carry burning sticks from active fire zones to unburned areas to ignite new fires.
Research conducted by Mark Bonta, an assisting teaching professor of earth sciences at Penn State Altoona, suggests that this behaviour is more than just a legend.
These crafty avian creatures pick up burning sticks, transport them to unscathed zones, and set them ablaze.
Three species have been reported to have been transporting sticks in either their talons or beaks: the Black Kite (Milvus migrans), the Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus), and the Brown Falcon (Falco berigora) to purposefully spread wildfires.
"Only relatively recently have Westerners come to understand what Aboriginal people have known for tens of thousands of years," mentioned in an article from Penn State Altoona.
When animals such as snakes, lizards, and frogs flee the flames, the raptors seize the opportunity to catch their prey.
Bird species like the black kite, whistling kite, and brown falcon exploit the forest fires that occur in Australia during the dry season.
References:
1. https://wildlife.org/
2. https://altoona.psu.edu/
3. https://www.audubon.org/news/
