Which fictional bird carries the Dwarves away from the burning trees in The Hobbit?

The story behind the answer

Eagles carry the Dwarves away from the burning trees in The Hobbit.

Near the end of the story, Bilbo and the Dwarves become trapped in trees while goblins and wargs surround them. The Great Eagles arrive after being summoned or alerted by Gandalf, and they rescue the company from the fire and attackers. They carry the travelers to safety before the Battle of Five Armies.

The answer is commonly given as “Eagles,” the name used in the narrative for these enormous intelligent birds. “Great Eagles” is also a descriptive expression used elsewhere in Tolkien’s writings, but the canonical short answer to the question is Eagles.

They are not the same as ravens, which are intelligent birds associated particularly with the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain. Crebain are a different group of dark birds appearing in The Lord of the Rings.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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