Fire-birds

I've always felt that Australia has one of the most hostile environments for Human beings on the planet, not particularly because of the climate, although that is challenging (particularly for English cricketers) but because of the myriad creatures that are just waiting to sting, bite and claw the unsuspecting visitor to death at the drop of a hat. On the list already are poisonous snakes, spiders, jellyfish and even snails, not to mention trees filled with flammable oil, kicking prehistoric birds and rivers that catch fire, now, they even have predatory birds that commit arson! Apparently some birds of prey in that land down-under have learned to deliberately spread wildfires in order to flush out prey. They cleverly pick up burning twigs and drop them onto unlit areas in order to start fresh fires and flush out even more little critters to snap up for lunch!

Humans have always prided themselves on discovering the utility of fire, that's been clear since Kipling penned the holy scriptures of the Jungle Book for Akela's sake! However, it looks as though we may have been beaten to the punch by Australian kites, hawks and falcons! I guess you can't keep a good raptor down.