Credit: techly.com.au
Just when you thought the animals in Australia couldn't get any deadlier..
I just read a story in the National Post that says researchers down under believe Black Kites (Milvus migrans) have evolved to learn how to spread wildfires themselves in order to chase out prey from the burning brush.
Credit: Bob Gosford
Apparently aboriginals have witnessed and talked about it for years but now American and Aussie scientists are trying to determine if this is infact the case.
Credit: capricorncoastbirds.au
A firefighter recently said he witnessed these birds swooping down and picking up burning sticks and then transporting them to new locations to spread the fire. He was busy putting out spot fires while the birds were spreading it to other areas 😂 kinda hilarious but still crazy!
Birds are known for their amazing predatory instincts and have commonly been observed waiting on the outskirts of forest and brush fires for prey to scurry out, but if these Black Kites are actually helping to increase and spread the flames this could be a worlds first. They would join humans as the only species to weaponize fire.
I love my Aussie friends but your country and the animals that inhabit it are scary as shit!
Thanks for reading,
