The use and control of fire has long been assumed to be a skill unique to humans. Or at least, it’s a Western assumption—one that may not be shared by this country’s Aboriginal people, at least not those of northern Australia. According to a fascinating paper recently published in the Journal of Ethnobiology, it’s possible that birds of prey beat us to it. Moreover, it’s a phenomenon that’s long been recognised in sacred Aboriginal ceremonies.But the idea that ‘firehawks’ (a generic term for three widespread Australian raptors, the Black Kite, Whistling Kite and Brown Falcon) might intentionally spread bushfires, with the intention of flushing out prey, has for decades been treated with scepticism in scientific circles. This carefully written paper, by multiple authors including Alice Springs-based lawyer and blogger Bob Gosford, may finally change that.

It documents both Indigenous ecological knowledge and many first-hand observations by non-Indigenous people, including firefighters, of these avian pyromaniacs. As fires burn themselves out, the hawks pick up burning or smoking material—presumably at some risk to themselves—and carry it up to a kilometre before dropping it in unburned areas with the aim of creating fresh fronts on which to forage (as well as fresh headaches for firefighters).