What Is the Fastest Bird in The World?

On land, the cheetah nearly always wins. But in sky, when you are looking for
the quickest one, it totally depends on whether you measure flight speed: level
flight (the speed it takes to fly in a straight line) and diving flight (the speed at
which the bird plunges down to kill its prey). Different types of birds use flight
to either catch their prey or to flee from predators.

 The quickest bird at level flight

When it comes to level flight, the Common Swift is the quickest bird in
the world. They've been seen flying level at speeds of more than 69 mph
(110 km/h).

Swifts spend their lives on the wing, save when nesting, which means
they feed, drink, sleep, and often mate in the air. It's not uncommon for a
swift to fly for more than ten months without landing. The Common
Swift is the only bird that spends as much time in the air as it does on the
ground.

Surprisingly, the common swift appears to have two distinct ways of level
flying. It tends to fly at a constant speed of 22 to 26 mph in normal flight.
During the mating season, however, the swift appears to have a whole
different set of capabilities. The bird may attain a maximum level flying
speed of roughly 70 mph while courting a mate by adjusting its wing
profile and aerodynamic performance while climbing through the air.
Because of the terrible sounds it emits while in flight, these social
gatherings are known as screaming parties.

 The quickest bird on the ground

The Ostrich is the quickest bird on foot. They can attain amazing speeds
of 45 mph (72 km/h) on average, and up to 60 mph (nearly 95 km/h) in
shorter bursts, with 3 and a half metre strides (12 foot).

The ostrich is not only the fastest bird on foot, but also the fastest two-
legged mammal on the earth. Ostriches have incredible stamina and can
run at 30 mph (48 km/h) for up to half an hour, allowing them to traverse
15 miles (about 24 km) in just 30 minutes.
 Ostriches are the largest birds in the planet. According to the African
Wildlife Foundation, ostriches may grow to be 9 feet (2.7 metres) tall and
weigh up to 320 pounds (145 kilogrammes), and their eyes are the biggest
of any land mammal, measuring 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. The only
bird with two toes on each foot is the ostrich.

 The quickest bird in terms of airspeed velocity

When it comes to the speed it can attain while diving, the Peregrine
Falcon is the fastest bird in the world. They can achieve speeds of up to
200 mph (389 km/h), making them the world's fastest bird in terms of
airspeed velocity. This means that peregrine falcons are not only the
fastest bird in the world; they are also the fastest animal in the world.

Peregrine Falcons use their incredible speed to grab prey and make
precise manoeuvres. They may attack their target from hundreds of
metres to several kilometres away and will plummet out of the sky,
frequently using this power to deliver a substantial hit to their prey. They
will occasionally grab their prey with their enormous, strong talons as
well.

According to one research, it will continue to make minor modifications

to wing position and speed up to the time of impact in order to achieve its
target. With its capacity to interpret visual inputs swiftly and precisely,
the peregrine falcon may prey on fast-moving birds like pigeons,
songbirds, and doves in mid-air. If you're curious in this fascinating bird,
you can learn more about it here.

Some of the other speediest ones

1. Golden Eagle

One of the biggest raptors with a top speed reaching up to 150-200

miles per hour.

2. White-throated Needletail

The cigar-shaped bird with the remarkable white throat, once

known as the spine-tailed swift, can reputedly achieve speeds of up
to 105 mph
3. Eurasian Hobby

Known for their acrobatic skills, these birds are recorded to reach
speeds up to 99 miles per hour

4. Frigatebird

Frigatebirds may stay in the air for weeks at a time and they can do
so with remarkable speeds of up to 95 miles per hour.

5. Gyrfalcon

This is the largest falcon in the world and can reach speeds up to
90 miles per hour