As we all know, bird flight is a major inspiration for humanity's dream of flight. Through tireless efforts, this dream has finally come true, and everyone can enjoy soaring through the sky like a bird. But how much do we really know about the birds that inspire our yearning for flight? What is the fastest bird in the world? We've compiled a ranking of bird flight speeds; let's take a look!
1. Frigatebird
Flight speed: 418 km/h
Distribution areas: tropical and subtropical
Other names: Robber Bird
It is one of the fastest flying birds in the world, with a body length of 750-1120 mm; long and strong wings with a wingspan of 1760-2300 mm; a long and pointed beak with a hooked tip; a deeply forked tail; and short, weak legs with almost no webbed feet. Not only is it fast in flight, but it can also perform agile flips in the air, and it remains fearless even in gale-force winds of up to level 12.
2. Peregrine Falcon
Flight speed: 389 km/h
Distribution area: Worldwide
Other names: Rosewood Eagle, Pigeon Tiger, Duck Tiger, Blue Swallow
The peregrine falcon measures 38-50 cm in length, has a wingspan of 95-115 cm, weighs 647-825 grams, and has a lifespan of 11 years. It is a medium-sized bird of prey. Its normal flight speed is 50-100 km/h, but it is also the fastest diving bird, reaching altitudes of over 300 km/h, making it one of the fastest flying animals on Earth.
3. Golden Eagle
Flight speed: 321 km/h
Distribution area: Northern Hemisphere
Other names: Golden Eagle, Old Eagle, White Eagle, Vulture
The golden eagle is renowned for its striking appearance and agile, powerful flight; adults have an average wingspan exceeding 2 meters and a body length reaching 1 meter, with its legs and claws entirely covered in feathers. It feeds on medium to large-sized birds and mammals, and ranks second among the world's ten most ferocious birds, truly deserving of its reputation.
4. Falcon
Flight speed: 209 km/h
Distribution area: Worldwide
Other names: Falcon, Hare-tiger, Stick
The falcon's four toes have sharp talons, adapted for catching prey. It is fierce, carnivorous, and feeds on birds, rodents, and other small animals. The macula of an eagle's eye has two fovea, one more than most animals, and these fovea contain up to a million photoreceptor cells per square millimeter, resulting in extremely keen vision.
5. White-throated Needletail Swift
Flight speed: 168 km/h
Distribution area: Worldwide
Other names: None
The crown and nape are blackish-brown with a bluish-green metallic sheen; the back, shoulders, and rump are silky brown; the upper tail coverts and tail feathers are black with a bluish-green metallic sheen, and the tail feather shafts are elongated into needle-like tips. The wing coverts and flight feathers are black with a purplish-blue and green metallic sheen. It is one of the fastest-flying birds, with extremely high flight speeds.
6. Eurasian Hobby
Flight speed: 160 km/h
Distribution area: Worldwide
Other names: Green-striped falcon, Earth falcon, Young falcon, Grasshopper hawk, Insect hawk
It is a Class II protected wild animal in China. It measures 28-35 cm in length and weighs 120-294 grams. A small bird of prey, it has long, narrow, pointed wings that resemble a sickle when in flight. The underwings are white with dense, dark brown horizontal stripes. When its wings are folded, the wingtips almost reach the tips of its tail feathers, making it resemble a swallow, hence its name.
7. Spurred Goose
Flight speed: 141 km/h
Distribution area: Africa
Other names: Straight-winged goose
The spurred goose is 90-100 cm long and weighs 6-7 kg, with a record of weighing up to 10 kg. It is a bird type between geese and ducks, with a long, thick neck, broad wings, and slender legs. Males and females are similar, but males are slightly larger. They are gregarious and primarily herbivorous.
8. Red-breasted Merganser
Flight speed: 130 km/h
Distribution area: North America
Other names: Pointed-billed duck
It is mainly distributed in North America and is a type of diving duck with a very sharp red beak and a very large wingspan. It migrates to lakes and swamps in Alaska and northern Canada to lay its eggs in winter. It can reach speeds of up to 130 kilometers per hour.
9. Albatross
Flight speed: 126 km/h
Distribution area: Southern Ocean
Other names: Xintiangong, Xintianyuan
They can reach a height of about 63 centimeters and a wingspan of 2.2 meters. Their upper and lower beaks are orange-yellow, and they have gray heads. Their beaks are relatively long and powerful, with the tip of the upper beak forming a downward hook. They can fly a distance of up to 5,000 kilometers in 12 days.
10. Sail-backed Duck
Flight speed: 117 km/h
Distribution area: North America
Other name: American Rock Goose
It ranks 10th in flight speed among birds. Weighing about 1.4 kg and with a wingspan of 86 cm, it is relatively small in size and is famous for its V-shaped migration pattern. Every winter, it migrates to the lake area, during which time it can reach speeds of up to 117 km/h.
