Firebird

Firebird is a legendary bird that appears in many mythologies, most commonly identified with the phoenix. In Slavic folklore the Zhar-Ptica, or the Firebird, is a luminous creature whose tail and feathers glow with amber light. It is often depicted as elusive and powerful, bringing fortune or disaster, and its pursuit usually marks a hero’s test of wits and endurance. The motif symbolizes rebirth, renewal, and the transience of fortune; in some tales the bird’s feathers grant magical aid.

In culture and the arts, the Firebird has inspired works of music, literature, and film. Igor Stravinsky’s ballet The Firebird (1910), based on Russian folklore, helped establish his international reputation and remains a landmark of 20th‑century music. The tale’s blend of enchantment and peril has influenced later adaptations and symphonic suites.

In computing, Firebird denotes an open-source relational database management system that originated as a fork of Borland’s InterBase. It is cross‑platform and designed for multi-user access, with features such as multi-version concurrency control, stored procedures, triggers, views, and comprehensive SQL support. Development is community‑driven under the Firebird Project, with binaries and sources available for Windows, Linux, macOS, and other Unix-like systems.

In automotive history, the name Firebird was used for the Pontiac Firebird line, a muscle car produced by General Motors from 1967 to 2002. The name has since become a cultural shorthand for performance history associated with the brand.

The term Firebird may refer to other uses in literature, entertainment, and technology, with the intended meaning typically clear from context.