Before the human being decided to venture to reach the sky, millions of species of birds already crossed it with their wings. Among them there is heterogeneity in terms of appearance, habits and food, but also in the ability to fly and the speed they can reach.
Have you ever wondered which is the fastest bird in the world? If you are interested in discovering it, you cannot miss this article on our site. Keep reading!
Which are the fastest birds in the world?
When it comes to birds that fly through the sky at great speeds, there are several species that compete for first place as the fastest. Do you want to know what they are? Get to know them below!
- The Atlantic gannet (Morus bassanus) is a species native to the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean. It dives into the water to hunt at between 100 and 120 kilometers per hour, however, when in leisurely flight, it travels at 70 kilometers.
- Next on the list are los vencejos, common name of the Apodidae family that includes more than 40 different species. They are birds similar in appearance to swallows, but prefer to live in temperate climates. Swifts are capable of soaring through the sky between 170 and 200 kilometers per hour
- The golden or royal eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is a bird of prey that is distributed in various areas of the world, such as Africa, Europe, part of Asia and North America, as there are several subspecies. Cross the skies at 300 kilometers per hour
- Another of the fastest birds in the world is the gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus), a bird that lives in the mountains of America, Asia and Europe. It is among the largest falcons in the world and in medieval times it was used for falconry. This species reaches up to 210 kilometers per hour while flying.
- The European acotan (Falco subbuteo) is a species of falcon that inhabits the savannahs and fields of Asia and Europe. Despite its size (measuring about 35 centimeters), it is capable of flying at 160 kilometers per hour.
Now, these species are among the fastest in the world, but the one that claims to be the fastest is the peregrine falcon(Falco peregrinus). The peregrine falcon usually flies at only 100 kilometers per hour, but when it's time to hunt it swoops down to 320 kilometers At this speed, the peregrine falcon becomes not only the bird, but also the fastest animal in the world.
What is the fastest bird in level flight?
You already know the name of the fastest bird in the world, the peregrine falcon. However, as we mentioned, the falcon holds this title for the speed it is capable of reaching when it dives. Now, when we talk about horizontal flight, which is the fastest bird?
This is the Mongolian swift (Hirundapus caudacutus), a migratory bird that is distributed in some European countries, but is more easy to find in Australia and Siberia. In horizontal flight it reaches between 170 and 200 kilometers per hour and it is known that, like other species of swifts, they are capable of spending up to 6 months in the air, without ever landing on the ground.
Second place in the horizontal flight category is Medium Merganser (Mergus serrator), a bird that lives in North America, Europe and Asia. The serreta prefers temperate climates to reproduce, but the rest of the year it lives in colder areas, such as Alaska and Iceland. It reaches between 140 and 160 kilometers per hour during its flight.
What is the fastest bird on land?
If you look closely, all the birds we've talked about stand out for their speed in the air, but have you thought about animals that can't fly? It will surprise you!
The fastest bird on land is the ostrich (Struthio camelus), a large running bird that inhabits African countries, where it is distributed in 4 subspecies. It measures up to 3 meters and weighs 180 kilos, making it the heaviest bird in the world As its wings are small, it is unable to fly, however, this is not an impediment for the ostrich to be crowned the fastest bird in the world on land, because when it runs it is capable of reaching 90 kilometers per hour
