Birds are part of the endothermic animal group. they are known for their bird feathers, toothless beaked mouths, hard-shelled eggs, high metabolic rate, four-chambered heart, and lightweight structure. This article communicates the top 10 fastest birds in the world, their maximum speed in kilometers per hour, and other important facts.
Swiftness is important in an avian environment, as it helps birds catch food, avoid enemies, and find unfamiliar territory during breeding or travel. The Peregrine Falcon and Magnificent Frigatebird are among the top 20 fastest birds in the sky, exhibiting their amazing flying skills.
list of the Top 10 Fastest Birds in the World
| Rank | Common Name | Maximum Speed (km/h) | Maximum Speed (mph) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peregrine Falcon | 389 | 242 | Fastest animal on the planet during dives. |
| 2 | Saker Falcon | 320 | 200 | Notable for its high-speed diving capabilities. |
| 3 | Golden Eagle | 322 | 200 | Known for powerful soaring abilities. |
| 4 | Grey-headed Albatross | 127 | 79 | Holds record for fastest level flight over long distances. |
| 5 | White-throated Needletail | 171 | 106 | Fastest in level flight, though speed remains unverified. |
| 6 | Gyrfalcon | 145 | 90 | High-speed dives and sustained flight speeds. |
| 7 | Frigatebird | 153 | 95 | Excellent glider, utilizing wind currents effectively. |
| 8 | Spur-winged Goose | 142 | 88 | Known for its rapid flight capabilities. |
| 9 | Red-breasted Merganser | 129 | 80 | Fast and agile in water and air. |
| 10 | Common Swift | 111.6 | 69.3 | Remarkable for sustained high-speed flight. |
Top 10 fastest bird in the world
The complete list is the Top 10 fastest birds in the world that have the highest speed in km per hour, and other fun facts are provided below:
Peregrine falcon
Peregrine falcons have bluish gray backs, black bands on their underparts, long blue-gray wings, and short black tails. They reside in rocky open land near water and are found all across the planet, excluding tropical rainforests and severe polar regions. With sixteen recognized subspecies, the peregrine falcon is the top 10 fastest bird in the world.
Golden eagle
The golden eagle is considered the second fastest bird in the world, closest in speed to the peregrine falcon. Having a wingspan of up to 7 feet, that exploits its speed to grab animals like rabbits and marmots. Its enormous talons can exert nearly 400 pounds of pressure per square inch, enabling it to grab and dismember huge prey. In hunting dives, it may reach speeds of up to 200 mph.
With exceptional eyesight and a constant pace when flying, the golden eagle occupies different settings throughout the Northern Hemisphere. It can fly for roughly 125 miles without landing and can be listed among the list of 10 fastest birds in the sky.
Saker falcon
The saker falcon is a large falcon species in the world. It is the third-fastest bird in the world. It has a dive speed of up to 190 mph and a top speed of about 93 mph in regular flight. It breeds from Central Europe eastwards across the Palearctic to Manchuria and is a partial migrant.
The saker falcon’s fast flapping speed has been studied for drones, with the downstroke of the flap lasting only 100 ms. In recent years, the saker falcon has been bred with the peregrine falcon to create hybrids with greater size and horizontal speed. The saker falcon is used in falconry in the Arabian Peninsula and is known as “Hur” in Arabic.
The white-throated needletail
The white-throated needletail is the third fastest bird in the world, and its scientific name is Hirundapuscaudacutus. It is recognized for its peak speed of 105 mph (169 km/h) and is one of the fastest birds in level flight. It travels far between breeding and wintering habitats in Asia and Australia.
Its name stems from the feathers at the end of its tail that resemble like needles. For most of its life, the swift is in the air, capturing bugs as they fly. It can sleep in the air and will only land to reproduce and raise young.
The red-tailed hawk
The red-tailed hawk ranks as the fourth fastest bird in the globe and can fly at speeds of up to 120 miles per hour while diving to capture their prey. This bird is abundant in North America, from Alaska to Panama, and is recognized for its superb vision and sharp claws.
They are noted for their capacity to mate for life and execute soaring mating performances. Red-tailed hawks produce varied noises, including a croaking “guh-runk” at close range, a “klee-uk” meal cry, and a modified “chirp-chwirk” during courtship.
The Eurasian hobby
The Eurasian hobby can be a small falcon known for its high speed. The Eurasian hobby (Falcosubbuteo) ranks as the fifth fastest bird in the whole world. With a top speed of 100 miles per hour, it can move a lot around a short amount of time and is found throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
The Eurasian hobby is known for its rapidity and speed, making it a master at flying chase. It breeds over Europe and Asia, migrating to Africa and southern Asia in winter. The Eurasian hobby commonly hunts at night, taking advantage of bug swarms, and is occasionally spotted chasing swifts and swallows.
Bald eagles
Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) are one of the top 20 fastest birds in the sky. They may reach speeds of up to 99 mph when flying for prey or undertaking territorial displays. They can fly at 30 mph, especially achieving speeds of up to 100 mph, because of their tremendous wingbeats.
Bald eagles are highly swift in flight. They can soar on heat currents and fly at heights greater than 10,000 feet. They take advantage of their speed to hunt, migrate, and conserve. They exploit their speed to seize fish, small animals, and geese in flight.
Frigatebird
The frigatebird is a swift bird with a peak speed of 95 miles per hour (153 kilometers per hour). These seabirds have a high wingspan compared to their body weight, enabling them to fly freely. They are noted for their kleptoparasitism habit when they steal food from other birds mid-flight.
They are found in tropical and subtropical waters, spending days and nights in flight. Males expose a crimson gular pouch during courting to attract females. They spend days and nights on the wing, only stopping to breed or rest on uninhabited islands.
Rock Dove
Rock doves are actually also known because the rock pigeon. These birds are powerful fliers that can fly at rates of up to 50 miles per hour, so they’re a popular bird in the skies. They are distributed globally but are most usually spotted in metropolitan environments.
Rock doves have a sturdy body and short neck, with different plumage and colorful feathers. They have been researched in navigation, learning, and genetics, including work by Charles Darwin on the theory of natural selection.
Gyrfalcon
The gyrfalcon is the largest of the falcon species around the globe. It is an incredibly powerful bird of prey with an average speed of 50-68 miles per hour in flight. The gyrfalcon ranks as one of the fastest birds of prey in the world. It can achieve speeds of up to 90 miles per hour on hunting stoops.
The gyrfalcon’s strength stems from its robust build and stamina, enabling it to chase prey over vast distances. Found in the Arctic, northern North America, Europe, and Asia, it is the biggest of the falcon species. Its capacity to locate prey from miles above ground and follow it for lengthy durations is a tribute to its power. The gyrfalcon is mostly preyed upon by ptarmigan and seabirds, so it grabs in mid-air or on the ground.
Spur-Winged Goose
The spur-winged goose is one of the fastest-flying goose in the world. This bird is among the largest waterfowl bird in Africa & has recorded speed of 88 miles per hour. Despite its small, it can cross large distances between feeding and mating places.
The goose is called for its pointed spurs on its wings, utilized for defense and dominance displays. It dwells in marshes and meadows, frequently forming flocks outside breeding season. Its food includes plants and occasionally consumes venomous blister beetles, which makes its meat dangerous to humans.
Red-Breasted Merganser
The red-breasted merganser is a fast-flying duck found in freshwater lakes and rivers across North America, Europe, Asia, and Greenland. With a serrated bill, it can reach speeds of up to 81 miles per hour (130 km/h). To get airborne, it requires a running start due to its legs being positioned near its rear.
This social bird doesn’t defend its territory and is a fully migratory bird that’s sometimes hunted. Speed records show the merganser flying at 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) while being chased by an airplane and 80 miles per hour for about 1,500 feet (457 m). Its slender body and rapid wingbeats make it a versatile and efficient hunter in aquatic environments.
Grey-Headed Albatross
The grey-headed albatross is considered one of the world’s fastest birds, maintaining the Guinness World Record for the fastest horizontal flyer. Having a wingspan of 2.2 meters and weighing between 2.8 and 4.4 kilos, they can fly at speeds of up to 127 kilometers per hour (79 miles per hour).
The bird lives on beaches and in open oceans, reproducing in southerly areas like Bird Island in South Georgia. It feeds on squid, crabs, lampreys, and carrion and reproduces by depositing a single egg in a huge nest. The bird may round the world in minimal over a month, returning to land for nesting.
The canvasback duck
The canvasback duck (Aythyavalisineria) forms a North American swimming duck. It is one of the fastest flying ducks in the world, achieving a peak speed of roughly 80 miles per hour. These strong and fast birds require a running start to take flight; however, once in the air, they can reach speeds of up to 80 miles per hour. They breed in lakes, bays, ponds, and deep-water areas and move to coastal bays and big lakes in winter. They eat plant roots, seeds, and snails and are known for their social activity during non-breeding seasons.
The mallard
The mallard is an extremely popular wild duck found across the Northern Hemisphere. It truly the fastest-flying duck in the world, reaching breath speeds of up to 65 mph. However, other birds can fly faster, such as the peregrine hawk, which can hit 247 mph. Mallards are omnivorous, eating on seeds, watery plants, insects, and small fish, and can move long distances during migration. They are the parents of the majority of domesticated duck breeds.
The Anna's hummingbird
The Anna’s hummingbird is actually native to the western region of North America. It is the fastest small bird in the world compared to its body length. It can dive at up to 385 body lengths per second, faster than a jet pilot. It can fly at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour and can also dive at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour during courtship.
Anna’s hummingbird’s overall heart can beat more than 1,000 times per minute, so it can fly backward, upside down, and hang. It eats nectar and lives in open woods, which renders its nest out of plant fibers, downy feathers, and animal hair. Despite its small size, the Anna’s hummingbird is known for its protective attitude and intense defense of food places.
Great Snipe
The great snipe is the fastest-known migratory bird in the world. They are capable of flying up to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) and nonstop for over 4,200 miles (6,760 kilometers). It migrates from northern Europe to sub-Saharan Africa, using land suitable for stopovers.
The bird’s rapid, direct flight helps it avoid predators. Its stocky build with cryptic plumage blends into marshy and grassland habitats. During breeding season, males perform elaborate display flights and ground dances, accompanied by distinctive clicking and drumming sounds to attract females.
The peregrine falcon (Falco Peregrinus) is the fastest flying bird in the world. It can reach speeds of over 200 miles per hour (320 kilometers per hour) when diving to catch prey.
Bird flight speeds vary significantly, with most cruising at 20–30 miles per hour during a normal flight. In pursuit, birds can reach higher speeds, like the peregrine falcon’s 200-320 km/h diving speed. Wing shape and flight behavior also play a role in determining bird speed.
Migratory birds fly at speeds of 15–55 miles per hour (25–89 kilometers per hour). The speed depends on the species, the weather, and the direction of the wind.
The peregrine falcon is the fastest flying bird in the world, reaching speeds of over 200 miles per hour (320 km/h) when diving. This makes it the fastest animal in the world.
Humans have devised devices to fly through the sky, with a commercial aircraft and military jets reaching speeds of 575 and 1,500 miles per hour, respectively. However, in natural flight, humans are grounded, reaching speeds of just 120 miles per hour, which is substantially slower than the fastest animals in the sky.
Birds are fast due to their specialized wing shapes, powerful chest muscles that enable rapid wing beats, aerodynamic body designs, and evolutionary adaptations based on their diet and hunting needs, allowing some species to reach high speeds during flight, particularly when diving to catch prey or escaping predators; the most notable fast birds include falcons like the Peregrine falcon, which can reach speeds exceeding 200 mph in a dive
