Fact Check: Fire-emitting bird caused California wildfires? No, it is an old VFX video

A video showing a fire-emitting bird was shared with the claim that it was responsible for the ongoing wildfires in California. The video shows a bird with bronze-coloured shoulders, black breasts and a white belly which emits fire from its eyes.

The voiceover in the video shared on Facebook said, “A fire in the United States was not started by a human but by a bird. The American Security Department has presented evidence to the world. The case of wildfires in California has taken a new turn. American authorities have released a video of a bird named Black Hawk.” (Translated from Hindi) (Archive)

Similar claims can be found here.(Archive)

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is false. The bird in the video is Quero-Quero. Digital effects were added to the video to make it look like it has ‘firepower’.

Through a reverse image search using the keyframes of the video, we reached a YouTube channel showing the same footage. The video was uploaded on December 14, 2020, with the title, ‘Quero-Quero Power’ by Fabricio Rabachim. (Archive)

The description read, “Anyone who has ever come across a Quero-Quero protecting its nest knows how threatening it is, but few have seen its true power…” (Translated from Portuguese)

The comments on the YouTube video indicated that the video was edited.

We checked the profile of Fabricio Rabachim which stated that he is a professional in visual effects (VFX). It further stated, “Created in 2005, with the intention of posting my studies, tests and audiovisual works, this channel has been growing and has already served as a repository of visual effects tutorials from ‘VFX do Fabricio’ old site.”

This confirmed that the video was enhanced using visual effects. We found many other VFX videos on this YouTube channel: a person tickling a baby shark in their lap, a person destroying a running car with his bare hands and others.

What is Quero-Quero?

The Southern Lapwing bird is commonly called Quero-Quero in Brazil. Its scientific name is Vanellus chilensis.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), an organisation that works to protect the environment and natural resources, the Southern Lapwing is usually sighted in South America. Very rare sights of the bird in North America have been observed.

An image of the Southern Lapwing can be seen below in a screenshot from the eBird website.

What is the reason for California wildfires?

Fox 11 Los Angeles uploaded a video clipping of the California authorities discussing the possible causes of the wildfires. Addressing the media on whether arson was being considered as the cause, an officer said that a task force is identifying the cause and origins of each of the separate fires. Arson has not been ruled out.

In a report published on January 16, 2025, BBC has also said that the causes of the wildfires are under investigation. (Archive)

Therefore, NewsMeter concludes that the claim is false.