How do birds use fire? Differences in the interactions of hawks, vultures, and other species with wildfires

Some bird species are known to be attracted to fire. This attraction is driven by foraging opportunities (e.g. prey, carcasses, and seeds) and the exploitation of thermal updraughts generated by fires. However, evidence remains largely anecdotal. We examined avian interactions with active fires in the Pantanal wetlands, Brazil, assessing how attraction and behaviour vary with fire intensity. We observed six prescribed burns in the Pantanal across 1 ha plots, recording the arrival time and behaviour of birds. We recorded 237 birds (61 species), of which 82 individuals of 14 species arrived during the fire. The Savanna Hawk (Heterospizias meridionalis) was the most numerous (n = 28, representing 34.2% of all birds observed post-ignition), followed by the Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus N = 19, 23.2%), and Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus, N = 13, 15.9%). Most birds (56,1%, n = 46) arrived during high-intensity flames, 15.9% (n = 13) during low-intensity flames, and 28% (n = 23) post-extinguishment. Fire triggered a trophic shift: insectivores, granivores, and omnivores declined, while scavengers (3.9% to 36.5%) and vertebrate predators (1.9% to 32.9%) increased. Species exhibited distinct fire-related behaviours: vultures (C. atratus, Cathartes aura) soared on thermal updraughts during active flames; insectivores (e.g. Pitangus sulphuratus) exploited smoke-disoriented prey; and raptors (H. meridionalis, C. plancus) hunted animals exposed to flames or vegetation loss. Our observational findings highlight the role of fire in shaping avian short-term foraging strategies and community dynamics, emphasising the need to integrate pyric-carnivory concepts into fire management.