Birds
Birds are feathered, warm-blooded vertebrates that lay hard-shelled eggs. Flight shapes almost everything about them: hollow bones keep weights low, and the fastest animals on Earth are birds in a dive. Many birds also live far longer than mammals of the same size; large parrots and albatrosses routinely pass 50 years. Instead of gestation, bird pages give the incubation period from laying to hatching.
33 birds, grouped by taxonomic order. Tap an animal for full facts.
Accipitriformes
| Animal | Lifespan | Weight | Top speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus |
20–30 years | 3–6.3 kg (6.6–14 lb) | 56–70 km/h (35–43 mph) | LC |
| Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos |
15–25 years | 3–6.5 kg (6.6–14.3 lb) | 45–52 km/h (28–32 mph) | LC |
| Red-Tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis |
10–15 years | 0.7–1.5 kg (1.5–3.3 lb) | 32–64 km/h (20–40 mph) | LC |
Anseriformes
| Animal | Lifespan | Weight | Top speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada Goose Branta canadensis |
10–24 years | 2.4–6.5 kg (5.3–14.3 lb) | about 64 km/h (40 mph) | LC |
| Mallard Anas platyrhynchos |
5–10 years | 0.7–1.6 kg (1.5–3.5 lb) | 65–88 km/h (40–55 mph) | LC |
| Mute Swan Cygnus olor |
10–20 years | 8–12 kg (18–26 lb) | about 80 km/h (50 mph) | LC |
Apodiformes
| Animal | Lifespan | Weight | Top speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Swift Apus apus |
7–10 years | 36–52 g (1.3–1.8 oz) | up to 112 km/h (69 mph) | LC |
| Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris |
3–5 years | 2–6 g (0.07–0.21 oz) | 40–48 km/h (25–30 mph) | LC |
Apterygiformes
| Animal | Lifespan | Weight | Top speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Island Brown Kiwi Apteryx mantelli |
20–40 years | 2–3 kg (4.4–6.6 lb) | — | VU |
Casuariiformes
| Animal | Lifespan | Weight | Top speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae |
10–20 years | 30–55 kg (66–121 lb) | 48 km/h (30 mph) | LC |
Cathartiformes
| Animal | Lifespan | Weight | Top speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andean Condor Vultur gryphus |
about 50 years | 8–15 kg (18–33 lb) | — | VU |
Charadriiformes
| Animal | Lifespan | Weight | Top speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica |
20–25 years | 310–550 g (11–19 oz) | 77–88 km/h (48–55 mph) | VU |
Columbiformes
| Animal | Lifespan | Weight | Top speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Pigeon Columba livia |
3–6 years | 238–380 g (8.4–13.4 oz) | 60–80 km/h (37–50 mph) | LC |
Falconiformes
| Animal | Lifespan | Weight | Top speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus |
10–15 years | 0.33–1.5 kg (0.7–3.3 lb) | about 320 km/h (200 mph) in a dive | LC |
Galliformes
| Animal | Lifespan | Weight | Top speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken Gallus gallus |
5–10 years | 1.5–4 kg (3.3–8.8 lb) | about 14 km/h (9 mph) | Domestic |
| Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus |
10–20 years | 2.75–6 kg (6–13 lb) | — | LC |
| Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo |
3–5 years | 2.5–11 kg (5.5–24 lb) | up to 88 km/h (55 mph) | LC |
Passeriformes
| Animal | Lifespan | Weight | Top speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos |
7–8 years | 316–620 g (11–22 oz) | — | LC |
| American Robin Turdus migratorius |
2–6 years | 59–94 g (2.1–3.3 oz) | 32–58 km/h (20–36 mph) | LC |
| Common Raven Corvus corax |
10–15 years | 0.7–1.6 kg (1.5–3.5 lb) | — | LC |
| Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis |
3–5 years | 42–48 g (1.5–1.7 oz) | — | LC |
Phoenicopteriformes
| Animal | Lifespan | Weight | Top speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus |
20–30 years | 2–4 kg (4.4–8.8 lb) | 50–60 km/h (31–37 mph) | LC |
Piciformes
| Animal | Lifespan | Weight | Top speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toco Toucan Ramphastos toco |
12–20 years | 500–876 g (1.1–1.9 lb) | — | LC |
Procellariiformes
| Animal | Lifespan | Weight | Top speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans |
30–50 years | 6–12 kg (13–26 lb) | about 55 km/h (34 mph) | VU |
Psittaciformes
| Animal | Lifespan | Weight | Top speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| African Grey Parrot Psittacus erithacus |
about 20–25 years | 400–490 g (14–17 oz) | — | EN |
| Budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus |
5–10 years | 30–40 g (1.1–1.4 oz) | — | LC |
| Cockatiel Nymphicus hollandicus |
10–15 years | 80–100 g (2.8–3.5 oz) | — | LC |
| Scarlet Macaw Ara macao |
40–50 years | 0.9–1.2 kg (2–2.6 lb) | up to 56 km/h (35 mph) | LC |
Sphenisciformes
| Animal | Lifespan | Weight | Top speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emperor Penguin Aptenodytes forsteri |
15–20 years | 22–45 kg (49–99 lb) | 6–9 km/h (4–6 mph) | NT |
Strigiformes
| Animal | Lifespan | Weight | Top speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barn Owl Tyto alba |
2–4 years | 300–700 g (0.7–1.5 lb) | — | LC |
| Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus |
10–15 years | 0.9–2.5 kg (2–5.5 lb) | up to 65 km/h (40 mph) | LC |
| Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus |
about 10 years | 1.6–3 kg (3.5–6.6 lb) | — | VU |
Struthioniformes
| Animal | Lifespan | Weight | Top speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Ostrich Struthio camelus |
30–40 years | 90–145 kg (200–320 lb) | 70 km/h (43 mph) | LC |
Rankings
Fastest BirdsHeaviest and Largest BirdsFastest Animals in the WorldFastest Land AnimalsFastest Sea Animals and FishLongest-Living Animals