The strong yet lightweight skeleton of the birds allows some birds to fly with greater speeds for catching prey and it can even exceed 320 km/h. This flight speed is measured in two ways, i.e level speed which means flying in a straight line is taken into account, and diving flight which implies the speed at which a bird comes down to kill its prey. In the next section, we will check out some of the fastest birds.
| Common name | Species | Family | Maximum Speed(Km/h) |
| Peregrine falcon | Falco peregrinus | Falconidae | 320 km/hr |
| Saker falcon | Falco cherrug | Falconidae | 233 km/hr |
| Golden eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | Accipitridae | 240 km/hr |
| Grey-headed albatross | Thalassarche Chrysostoma | Diomedeidae | 127 km/hr |
| Gyrfalcon | Falco rusticolus | Falconidae | 109 km/hr |
| White-throated needletail | Hirundapus caudacutus | Apodidae | 169 km/hr |
| Common swift | Apus apus | Apodidae | 113 km/hr |
| Eurasian hobby | Falco subbuteo | Falconidae | 159 km/hr |
| Frigatebird | Fregata | Fregatidae | 153 km/hr |
| Spur-winged goose | Plectropterus | Anatidae | 143 km/hr |
Top 10 Fastest Birds in the world:
1.Peregrine Falcon
This is a crow-sized bird having a blue grey back with barred white underparts. It has a black head and exists everywhere except the polar area. It is often trained for hunting. During level flight, this bird flies at 40-55 km/h. It flies to great heights and stoops down for deep diving at 320 km/h which is higher than the fastest animals like cheetah and greyhound.
2.Saker Falcon
This is the national bird of Mongolia and can be found in open grasslands in Eurasia and Africa. It feeds on the smaller birds and rodents. It stoops down at a speed of 233 km/h and then quickly strikes the target to paralyze it. During normal flight, it reaches a maximum speed of 150 km/h.
3.Golden Eagle
This is a powerful brown bird in the Northern Hemisphere with golden feathers on the head and neck, which can fly at 10000 to 15000 ft altitude. It feeds on ground squirrels, prairie dogs, rabbits, deer, and even the slow-moving livestock by using its huge talons for snatching. While doing so it dives at 240 km/hr.
4.Grey-Headed Albatross
This bird is also known as a grey-headed mollymawk and spends most of its life at sea. While foraging, it flies at a speed of 127 km/h and roams for about 8000 miles in search of food. During the breeding season only it returns to the land.
5.Gyrfalcon
It is the world’s largest falcon with white feathers and can even be found in the cold Arctic region. The US Airforce Academy has the bird as its official mascot. In terms of maintaining a consistent level of flight speed, it is the fastest bird. It hunts birds by stooping at the prey and sometimes attacking them in the open or even chasing them. The average speed of the bird is 80-109 km/hr which is maintained even while flying for long distances.
6.White-Throated Needletail
This is a migratory bird that breeds in Central Asia and the south Siberian region. It is characterized by sharp needle-like feathers at the tail end and can reach a speed of 169 km/h. Small insects are something it feeds on while flying in the air.
7.Common Swift
This is a medium-sized bird having curved wings with a forked tail that spends the spring and summer in Europe and Asia. During the winters, it travels to southern Africa. During normal flights, they have a speed of 35-42 km/h but during mating season it reaches 113 km/h speed by altering its wing profile and aerodynamics. Such social demonstrations are referred to as screaming parties due to the harsh sound made by them.
8.Eurasian Hobby
These are long-distance migrants characterized by a slate above with a dark crown and two black mustache strips of small size. Known for their acrobatic skills and athletic potential, they are often found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Their maneuverability is refined enough to pass food to each other amidst a flight through the skies. 159 km/hr is their maximum speed and often prey on small birds, dragonflies in the air.
9.Frigate Bird
This bird is often found in the tropical and subtropical oceans and has the potential to fly for weeks together. Male species are characterized by a red push below the beaks which inflate while breeding. These birds can catch their prey in the air or water. Sometimes they irritate other birds till they cough up the engulfed fishes so that Frigate Bird feeds on them. The maximum speed they can reach is 153 km/hr.
10.Spur-Winged Goose
This is a massive bird, often found in sub-Saharan African wetlands which can fly at 143 km/h. It is characterized by a long neck with a white face and large white patches on the wings.
Conclusion:
These were just some of the fastest birds in the world. Apart from these, there are other birds in various regions that are potential enough to reach great speeds.
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