Fastest Birds
Number one is the peregrine falcon at about 320 km/h (200 mph) in a dive, followed by the common swift at up to 112 km/h (69 mph) and the atlantic puffin at 77–88 km/h (48–55 mph).
| # | Animal | Top speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peregrine Falcon Bird |
about 320 km/h (200 mph) in a dive | hunting dive (stoop), not level flight; level flight is about 65–90 km/h and the highest measured dive was 389 km/h |
| 2 | Common Swift Bird |
up to 112 km/h (69 mph) | level flight; cruises at 36–43 km/h, with 111.6 km/h measured during display flights |
| 3 | Atlantic Puffin Bird |
77–88 km/h (48–55 mph) | level flight low over the sea, with up to 400 wingbeats a minute |
| 4 | Mallard Bird |
65–88 km/h (40–55 mph) | level flight; the higher figure is for migrating flocks |
| 5 | Wild Turkey Bird |
up to 88 km/h (55 mph) | short bursts of level flight; they run at about 40 km/h (25 mph) |
| 6 | Mute Swan Bird |
about 80 km/h (50 mph) | level flight; approximate figure |
| 7 | Rock Pigeon Bird |
60–80 km/h (37–50 mph) | sustained level flight; racing pigeons average more with a tailwind |
| 8 | Bald Eagle Bird |
56–70 km/h (35–43 mph) | level flight; dives are estimated at up to about 160 km/h (100 mph) |
| 9 | Common Ostrich Bird |
70 km/h (43 mph) | short sprints; about 50 km/h can be sustained over longer distances |
| 10 | Great Horned Owl Bird |
up to 65 km/h (40 mph) | top speed in level flight; hunting flights are usually slower |
| 11 | Canada Goose Bird |
about 64 km/h (40 mph) | cruising level flight on migration; faster with a tailwind |
| 12 | Red-Tailed Hawk Bird |
32–64 km/h (20–40 mph) | level flight; hunting dives can reach about 190 km/h (120 mph) |
| 13 | Greater Flamingo Bird |
50–60 km/h (31–37 mph) | level flight in flocks |
| 14 | American Robin Bird |
32–58 km/h (20–36 mph) | level flight, including migration |
| 15 | Scarlet Macaw Bird |
up to 56 km/h (35 mph) | level flight |
| 16 | Wandering Albatross Bird |
about 55 km/h (34 mph) | average ground speed of GPS-tracked birds in gliding flight; much faster with strong tailwinds |
| 17 | Golden Eagle Bird |
45–52 km/h (28–32 mph) | normal level soaring flight; hunting dives are far faster, with estimates of 240–320 km/h |
| 18 | Emu Bird |
48 km/h (30 mph) | sprinting; emus cannot fly |
| 19 | Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Bird |
40–48 km/h (25–30 mph) | level flight; faster in courtship dives |
| 20 | Chicken Bird |
about 14 km/h (9 mph) | short dashes on the ground; chickens fly only a few meters at a time |
| 21 | Emperor Penguin Bird |
6–9 km/h (4–6 mph) | normal underwater cruising; short bursts are faster |
About this ranking
Birds hold the outright animal speed records. The key distinction is between a stoop, a steep hunting dive with the wings folded, and powered level flight, which is much slower. Flightless birds are ranked by running speed.
How it is ranked: Birds in our database ranked by maximum speed; the note beside each figure says whether it is a dive, level flight or running. The list covers the 214 animals in the AnimalStats database, not every species on Earth.
The top five in detail
1. Peregrine Falcon — about 320 km/h (200 mph) in a dive
A peregrine falcon reaches about 320 km/h (200 mph) in a hunting dive, which makes it the fastest animal known. That figure applies only to the dive, called a stoop. The highest speed measured, 389 km/h (242 mph), came from a trained bird released from an aircraft. In level flight peregrines cruise at roughly 65–90 km/h (40–56 mph).
2. Common Swift — up to 112 km/h (69 mph)
Common swifts have been measured at 111.6 km/h (69 mph) in level flight, the fastest reliably recorded level flight of any bird. That speed was reached during social screaming flights. Normal cruising and migration speed is much lower, around 36–43 km/h (22–27 mph). Peregrine falcons are faster only in a dive.
3. Atlantic Puffin — 77–88 km/h (48–55 mph)
Atlantic puffins fly at 77–88 km/h (48–55 mph) in level flight, beating their small wings up to 400 times a minute. They usually fly low over the water. The same short wings work as paddles underwater, where puffins typically dive for 20–30 seconds and can reach depths of around 60 m.
4. Mallard — 65–88 km/h (40–55 mph)
Mallards fly at about 65 km/h (40 mph) in level flight, and migrating flocks have been clocked at up to about 88 km/h (55 mph). They can spring almost vertically off the water without a running start. Migrating mallards can cover many hundreds of kilometers in a single flight with a tailwind.
5. Wild Turkey — up to 88 km/h (55 mph)
Wild turkeys can fly at up to about 88 km/h (55 mph) in short bursts and run at around 40 km/h (25 mph). Flights are usually under 400 meters, enough to escape a predator or reach a roosting branch. Heavy domestic turkeys, by contrast, cannot fly at all.