There is an opinion that some falcons and kite that live in Australia can specially arrange fires in the savannahs, which sometimes leads to serious consequences. We figured out how reasonably such an opinion is.

In the winter of 2019–2020, the most destructive fires in the history of observations raged in Australia: according to some estimates, the total area of fire Compiled 18 million hectares, and the amount of damage exceeded 100 billion Australian dollars. Among the possible causes of the disaster journalists Daily Mail They called it Birds that carry coals and smoldering pieces of wood, thereby deliberately spreading fire. The publication of the British publication was also retold for their readers Russian -speaking media, for example, Belarusian Sputnik.

In 2017, a group of Australian and American researchers Published The scientific article “Deliberate spread of fire“ fiery falcons ”in North Australia. Scientists, led by the initiator of the Bob Gosford project, were inspired by the book “I, an Aboriginal” - an autobiography of a local resident Alava Vaipuldanya (Philip Robertsa), made up by journalist Douglas Lokwood. Among the memories of Vaipuldanya there is this: “I saw how the falcon grabbed a smoldering stick with claws and threw it on the fresh grass half a mile from us, and then, along with his brothers, expected the outcome of the charred and frightened rodents and reptiles.”

Scientists interested this story. They explain that the fires that occurred due to natural reasons “accustomed” the animals to easy prey. Such behavior of birds was recorded both in Australia and other regions: Africa, Papua - New Guinea, USA, Panama and Brazil. Falcon and kite began to use this: they allegedly try to create a fire and thus provoke potential prey to movement so that it becomes noticeable.

Did you manage to find unconditional evidence that some birds in Australia behave in this way? Scientists studied ethnographic materials, messages in the local press and groups on social networks, talked with firefighters and interviewed indigenous people. The latter in large numbers reported that they have repeatedly seen the birds. In some ways, the indigenous residents and local firefighters are supported: they observed fires that appear in places where everything was already extinguished. Judging by the descriptions, we are talking about three types of birds: black kite (Milvus Migrans), Korshun-Svistune (Haliastur sphenurus) and Book Sokole (Falco Berigora). At the same time, scientists emphasize: so far it has not been possible to fix in the photo or videos of birds, carrying burning sticks and dumping them to the ground. In 2016, in an interview with ABS, the initiator of the project Bob Gosford declaredthat he will not be satisfied until he sees such behavior of birds with his own eyes and will fix it on the camera.

The absence of documented photo or video evidence did not prevent the British Daily Mail British tabloid at the beginning of 2020 at the height of destructive Australian fires declare: Birds exacerbate the disaster. In support of its words, the publication led to the shooting of kite, circling over the scorched field, but the recording of rather low quality and does not fix the fires that began directly due to their actions. Moreover, the Daily Mail, citing the same interview with ABS, reports that the deliberate actions of animals was confirmed by Gosford, although there are no such statements in that material.