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List of birds by flight speed

Topic: Biology

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Short description: List of bird flight speeds
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This is a list of the average and fastest flight speeds achieved by birds. A bird's velocity is necessarily variable; a hunting bird will reach much greater speeds while diving to catch prey than when flying horizontally. The bird that can achieve the greatest speed is the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), able to exceed 320 km/h (200 mph) in its dives.[1][2] A close relative of the common swift, the white-throated needletail (Hirundapus caudacutus), is commonly reported as the fastest bird in level flight with a reported top speed of 169 km/h (105 mph). This record remains unconfirmed as the measurement methods have never been published or verified. The record for the fastest confirmed level flight by a bird is 111.5 km/h (69.3 mph) held by the common swift.[3]

Anecdotal, unverifiable records are frequently reported for bird species.[4] Moreover, providing single, comparable flight speeds across Aves is extremely difficult, if not impossible: the value of any given measurement is subject to variation from 1) measurement tools;[5] 2) the influence of wind and climatic conditions at the time of measurement;[6] 3) the bird's lift, drag, and body position;[7] 4) variation in a species' flight behaviour at time of measurement (e.g., normal locomotion, escape, migration);[8] and 5) whether the bird is flapping or gliding,[9] among others.

Some values given for the horizontal speed of a bird are airspeed, or the velocity of its movement relative to the air (i.e., accounting for wind speed). Others are the bird's groundspeed, or the velocity of a bird relative to a fixed point on the ground.[9][10] Birds riding a strong tailwind will have much higher groundspeeds than any airspeed they could achieve under their own power (e.g., the mallard flight speed record[11]).

For these reasons, values given in this table are generally not appropriate to make comparisons between species.

Birds by flying speed

Common name Image Species Family Average horizontal speed Maximum horizontal speed Maximum speed Remarks
Peregrine falcon 100px Falco peregrinus Falconidae 40–55 km/h
25–34 mph[12][13] 		112–160 km/h
70–99 mph[12][14] 		389 km/h
242 mph[15]
 Maximum speed is achieved via a streamlined, freefall dive from high altitudes.[16] Self-powered horizontal flight can reach ~ 112 km/h (70 mph), but has been measured at up to 160 km/h (99 mph) when pulling out of a dive.[14]
Gyrfalcon 100px Falco rusticolus Falconidae 40–56 km/h
25–35 mph[14][17] 		187–209 km/h
116–130 mph[18]
Golden eagle 100px Aquila chrysaetos Accipitridae 37–65 km/h
23–40 mph[19][20] 		190–195 km/h
118–121 mph[21][22] 		Maximum reported horizontal speed is the purported maximum of the species' gliding flight; the species can likely reach higher speeds in dives, though reported values of 240–320 km/h (150–200 mph) are "unlikely in most, if not all, situations".[21]
Mallard 100px Anas platyrhynchos Anatidae 57–87 km/h
35–54 mph[5][23] 		166 km/h
103 mph[11] 		Maximum reported speed was assisted by large tailwind.[11]
Red-breasted merganser 100px Mergus serrator Anatidae 130 km/h
81 mph[24]
Grey-headed albatross 100px Thalassarche chrysostoma Diomedeidae 127 km/h
79 mph[25] 		Sustained reported horizontal speed (ground speed) for approximately nine hours with no rest on high tailwinds during an Antarctic storm.[25] 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in) wingspan allows for high power use from wind. |- Saker falcon 100px Falco cherrug Falconidae 36–51 km/h
22–32 mph[26][27] 		111 km/h
69 mph[26] 		Flight speed is sometimes reported as up to 150 km/h (93 mph),[28] though the speed of their dives do not appear to have ever been formally measured.
Common swift 100px Apus apus Apodidae 32.4–38.2 km/h
20.1–23.7 mph[29] 		111.96 km/h
69.57 mph[3][30] 		This species holds the record for fastest recorded flight by a bird under its own power (e.g., not assisted by wind or gravity).[3][4]
White-throated needletail 100px Hirundapus caudacutus Apodidae 77 km/h
48 mph[31] 		An early report[32] gave an estimated flight speed in excess of 161 km/h (100 mph), though this was not measured via any instruments and has not been observed since. Difficulties in human estimation of speed and altitude, especially in a moving vehicle, are well-known in relation to these swifts;[33] nevertheless, unconfirmed maximum speed values for this species are still frequently reported.[3]
Spur-winged goose 100px Plectropterus gambensis Anatidae approx. 96 km/h
60 mph[34]
Great snipe 100px Gallinago media Scolopacidae 15–27 m/s
54–97 km/h 		On 4,300–6,800 km non-stop autumn migration direct from Sweden to tropical Africa.[35]
Eurasian whimbrel 100px Numenius phaeopus Scolopacidae 18–24 m/s
65–86 km/h 		On 4,000–5,500 km non-stop autumn migration direct from Iceland to West Africa.[36]
Canvasback 100px Aythya valisineria Anatidae 90–115 km/h
56–71 mph[37]
Common eider 100px Somateria mollissima Anatidae 63 km/h
39 mph[38]
Whooper swan 100px Cygnus cygnus Anatidae 60.1 km/h
37.3 mph[5] 		97–100 km/h
60–62 mph[39] 		160 km/h
100 mph
(see Remarks, right) 		Flying time on migration from Iceland to Ireland (1,100 km) on 9 December 1967 of an estimated 7 hours, making use of a 50 m/s (180 km/h; 100 kn) northerly jet stream wind at 8,200 m altitude in the lower stratosphere for part of the distance (where tolerating a temperature of -48°C, and air pressure only one third of surface pressure).[40][41]
Bar-tailed godwit 100px Limosa lapponica Scolopacidae 60 km/h
37 mph 		Bird tagged 'E7' flew 11,680 km non-stop from Alaska to New Zealand in 8.1 days.[42]
Black stork 100px Ciconia nigra Ciconiidae 57.6 km/h
35.8 mph[23] 		112 km/h
70 mph[43]
Anna's hummingbird 100px Calypte anna Trochilidae 56 km/h
35 mph[44] 		98.28 km/h
61.07 mph[45] 		Maximum speed was measured from a courtship dive, made possible by their extremely low drag.[45]
Magnificent frigatebird 100px Fregata magnificens Fregatidae 36.29 km/h
22.55 mph[46] 		46–48 km/h
29–30 mph[46][47]
Eurasian hobby 100px Falco subbuteo Falconidae 20–25 km/h
12–16 mph[48]

See also

Note

References

  1. ↑ "Basic Facts About Peregrine Falcon". Defenders of Wildlife. http://www.defenders.org/peregrine-falcon/basic-facts. 
  2. ↑ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (15 January 2008). "All About the Peregrine Falcon". Department of the Interior. http://www.fws.gov/endangered/recovery/peregrine/QandA.html#fast. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Bourton, Jody (2 March 2010). "Supercharged swifts take flight speed record". BBC Earth News. https://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8539000/8539383.stm. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 VanHelder, Mike (2016-11-21). "The Common Swift Is No Longer the Fastest-Flying Animal". https://www.audubon.org/news/the-common-swift-no-longer-fastest-flying-animal. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Safi, K.; Kranstauber, B.; Weinzierl, R.; Griffin, L.; Rees, E.C.; Cabot, D.; Cruz, S.; Proaño, C. et al. (2013). "Flying with the wind: scale dependency of speed and direction measurements in modelling wind support in avian flight". Movement Ecology 1 (4). doi:10.1186/2051-3933-1-4. PMID 25709818. Bibcode: 2013MvEco...1....4S. 
  6. ↑ Pennycuick, C.J. (2008). "The Flight Environment". Modelling the Flying Bird. Elsevier. pp. 21–36. doi:10.1016/S1875-306X(08)00002-6. 
  7. ↑ Pennycuick, C.J. (2008). "Mechanics of Level Flight". Modelling the Flying Bird. Elsevier. pp. 37–78. doi:10.1016/S1875-306X(08)00003-8. 
  8. ↑ Lincoln, Frederick R.; Peterson, Steven R.; Zimmerman, John L. (1998). Anatasi, P.A.. ed. Migration of Birds. United States Fish & Wildlife Service. https://www.csu.edu/cerc/researchreports/documents/MigrationofBirdsCircular.pdf. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Horvitz, N.; Spair, N.; Liechti, F.; Avissar, R.; Mahrer, I.; Nathan, R. (2014). "The gliding speed of migrating birds: slow and safe or fast and risky?". Ecology Letters 17 (6): 670–679. doi:10.1111/ele.12268. PMID 24641086. Bibcode: 2014EcolL..17..670H. https://huji.move-ecol.com/sites/default/files/ele12268.pdf. 
  10. ↑ "Relative Velocities: Ground Reference". Glenn Research Center. http://grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/move.html. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Hill, Katie (2024-05-20). "Migrating mallard clocked at 103 mph, breaking recent speed record". https://www.outdoorlife.com/hunting/duck-flies-record-speed/. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 White, C. M.; Clum, N. J.; Cade, T. J.; Hunt, W. G. (2024). Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), version 1.1 - Behavior, Locomotion. Ithaca, NY, USA: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. doi:10.2173/bow.perfal.01.1. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.perfal.01.1. 
  13. ↑ Cochran, William W.; Applegate, Roger D. (1986). "Speed of flapping flight of merlins and peregrine falcons". The Condor 88 (31): 397–398. doi:10.2307/1368897. https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/condor/vol88/iss3/31. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 White, Clayton M.; Nelson, R. Wayne (1991). "Hunting Range and Strategies in a Tundra Breeding Peregrine and Gyrfalcon Observed from a Helicopter". Journal of Raptor Research 25 (3): 49–62. https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/jrr/vol25/iss3/1. 
  15. ↑ Harpole, Tom (March 2005). "Falling with the Falcon". Air & Space magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/falling-with-the-falcon-7491768/. 
  16. ↑ Ponitz, Ben; Schmitz, Anke; Fischer, Dominik; Bleckmann, Horst; Brücker, Christoph (2014). "Diving-Flight Aerodynamics of a Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)". PLOS ONE 9 (2). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0086506. PMID 24505258. Bibcode: 2014PLoSO...986506P. 
  17. ↑ Booms, T. L.; Cade, T. J.; Clum, N. J. (2020). S. M. Billerman. ed. Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus), version 1.0. Ithaca, NY, USA: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. doi:10.2173/bow.gyrfal.01. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.gyrfal.01. 
  18. ↑ Tucker, V. A.; Cade, T. J.; Tucker, A. E. (July 1998). "Diving speeds and angles of a gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus)". Journal of Experimental Biology 201 (13): 2061–2070. doi:10.1242/jeb.201.13.2061. PMID 9622578. Bibcode: 1998JExpB.201.2061T. https://jeb.biologists.org/content/jexbio/201/13/2061.full.pdf. 
  19. ↑ Duerr, A.E.; Miller, T.A.; Lanzone, M.; Brandes, D.; Cooper, J.; O'Malley, K.; Maisonneuve, C.; Tremblay, J. et al. (2012). "Testing an Emerging Paradigm in Migration Ecology Shows Surprising Differences in Efficiency between Flight Modes". PLOS ONE 7 (4). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0035548. PMID 22558166. Bibcode: 2012PLoSO...735548D. 
  20. ↑ Katzner TE; Turk PJ; Duerr AE; Miller TA; Lanzone MJ; Cooper JL; Brandes D; Tremblay JA et al. (2015). "Use of multiple modes of flight subsidy by a soaring terrestrial bird, the golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos, when on migration". Journal of the Royal Society Interface 12 (112). doi:10.1098/rsif.2015.0530. PMID 26538556. PMC 4685835. Bibcode: 2015JRSI...1250530K. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283644814. 
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Katzner, T. E.; Kochert, M.N.; Steenhof, K.; McIntyre, C.L.; Craig, E.H.; Miller, T.A. (2020). Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), version 2.0. Ithaca, NY, USA: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. doi:10.2173/bow.goleag.02. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.goleag.02. 
  22. ↑ Duncan, Bruce W. (1990). "Identification and Status of Bald Eagles, Golden Eagles, Turkey Vultures, and Black Vultures in Ontario". Ontario Birds 8 (2): 61–69. https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1127&context=ontario_birds. 
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Bruderer, Bruno; Boldt, Andreas (2001). "Flight characteristics of birds: I. radar measurements of speeds". Ibis 143: 178–204. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.2001.tb04475.x. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227621013. 
  24. ↑ Gibbons, Richard. "Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator". https://houstonaudubon.org/programs/birding/gallery/red-breasted-merganser.html. 
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Catry, Paulo; Phillips, Richard A.; Croxall, John P. (2004-10-01). "Sustained Fast Travel by a Gray-headed Albatross (Thalassarche Chrysostoma) Riding an Antarctic Storm" (in en). The Auk 121 (4): 1208–1213. doi:10.1093/auk/121.4.1208. ISSN 1938-4254. https://academic.oup.com/auk/article/121/4/1208-1213/5147938. 
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Gamauf, Anita; Dosedel, Robert (2012). "Satellite telemetry of Saker Falcons (Falco cherrug) in Austria: juvenile dispersal at the westernmost distribution limit of the species". Aquila 119: 65–78. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262734512. 
  27. ↑ Prommer, Mátyás; Bagyura, János (2021). "Saker falcon Falco cherrug". Migration Strategies of Birds of the Western Palearctic. CRC Press. pp. 246–250. doi:10.1201/9781351023627-32. ISBN 978-1-351-02362-7. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351917516. ""Flight speed of migrating sakers...is remarkably constant: they fly roughly about 40 km/h over land and about 50 km/h above the sea"" 
  28. ↑ Lyon, Charlie (2025-12-30). "10 fastest birds of prey in the world – able to reach speeds of almost 200 MPH, these deadly aerial predators strike in a blink of an eye". https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/birds/fastest-birds-of-prey. 
  29. ↑ Henningson, P.; Karlsson, H.; Bäckman, J; Alerstam, T.; Hedenström, A. (2009). "Flight speeds of swifts (Apus apus): seasonal differences smaller than expected". Proceedings of the Royal Society B 276 (1666): 2395–2401. doi:10.1098/rspb.2009.0195. PMID 19324733. 
  30. ↑ Henningson, P.; Johansson, L.C.; Hedenström, A. (2010). "How swift are swifts Apus apus?". Journal of Avian Biology 41: 94–98. doi:10.1111/j.1600-048X.2009.04850.x. 
  31. ↑ Yamguchi, N.M.; Mori, S.; Yonekawa, H.; Waga, D.; Higuchi, H. (2021). "Light-Level Geolocators Reveal That White-Throated Needletails (Hirundapus caudacutus) Follow a Figure-Eight Migration Route Between Japan and Australia". Pacific Science 75 (1): 75–84. doi:10.2984/75.1.3. 
  32. ↑ Le Souef, A.S. (1930). "Swift Drinking". The Emu 29 (3): 234. doi:10.1071/MU929234b. Bibcode: 1930EmuAO..29Q.234L. 
  33. ↑ Coventry, Peter (1989). "Comments on airborne sightings of white-throated needletails Hirundapus caudacutus". Australian Bird Watcher 13 (1): 36–37. https://afo.birdlife.org.au/afo/index.php/afo/article/viewFile/950/928. 
  34. ↑ Daneel, A. B. (1943). "The speed and height of bird flight". The Ostrich 14 (2): 61–64. doi:10.1080/00306525.1943.9633985. 
  35. ↑ Klaassen, Raymond H. G.; Alerstam, Thomas; Carlsson, Peter; Fox, James W.; Lindström, Åke (2011-12-23). "Great flights by great snipes: long and fast non-stop migration over benign habitats". Biology Letters 7 (6): 833–835. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2011.0343. ISSN 1744-9561. PMID 21613283. PMC 3210655. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2011.0343. Retrieved 2026-08-04. 
  36. ↑ Alves, José A.; Dias, Maria P.; Méndez, Verónica; Katrínardóttir, Borgný; Gunnarsson, Tómas G. (2016-11-30). "Very rapid long-distance sea crossing by a migratory bird". Scientific Reports 6 (1). doi:10.1038/srep38154. ISSN 2045-2322. PMID 27901077. PMC 5128861. https://www.nature.com/articles/srep38154. Retrieved 2026-08-03. 
  37. ↑ Mowbray, T.B. (2020). Canvasback (Aythya valisineria), version 1.0: Behavior - Locomotion. doi:10.2173/bow.canvas.01. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.canvas.01. 
  38. ↑ Pelletier, David; Guillemette, Magella; Grandbois, Jean-Marc; Butler, Patrick J. (2008). "To fly or not to fly: high flight costs in a large sea duck do not imply an expensive lifestyle". Proceedings of the Royal Society B 275 (1647): 2117–2124. doi:10.1098/rspb.2008.0422. PMID 18522911. Bibcode: 2008PBioS.275.2117P. 
  39. ↑ Mlodinow, S.G.; Pyle, P.; Boesman, P.F.D.; Boland, K.C. (2025). B. K. Keeney. ed. Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus), version 2.0. Ithaca, NY, USA: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. doi:10.2173/bow.whoswa.02. 
  40. ↑ Stewart, A. G. (1978). "Swans flying at 8,000 metres". British Birds 71 (10): 459-460. 
  41. ↑ Elkins, N. (1979). "High altitude flight by swans". British Birds 71 (5): 238-239. 
  42. ↑ Gill, Robert E; Tibbitts, T. Lee; Douglas, David C; Handel, Colleen M; Mulcahy, Daniel M; Gottschalck, Jon C; Warnock, Nils; McCaffery, Brian J et al. (2009-02-07). "Extreme endurance flights by landbirds crossing the Pacific Ocean: ecological corridor rather than barrier?". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 276 (1656): 447–457. doi:10.1098/rspb.2008.1142. ISSN 0962-8452. PMID 18974033. PMC 2664343. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2008.1142. Retrieved 2026-08-03. 
  43. ↑ Chevallier, D.; Handrich, Y.; Georges, J.-Y.; Baillon, F.; Brossault, P.; Aurouet, A.; Le Maho, Y.; Massemin, S. (2010). "Influence of weather conditions on the flight of migrating black storks". Proceedings of the Royal Society B 277 (1695): 2755–2764. doi:10.1098/rspb.2010.0422. PMID 20427337. Bibcode: 2010PBioS.277.2755C. 
  44. ↑ Clark, C. J.; Dudley, R. (2009). "Flight costs of long, sexually selected tails in hummingbirds". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 276 (1664): 2109–2115. doi:10.1098/rspb.2009.0090. PMID 19324747. 
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 Clark, Christopher J. (2009). "Courtship dives of Anna's hummingbird offer insights into flight performance limits". Proceedings of the Royal Society B 276 (1670): 3047–3052. doi:10.1098/rspb.2009.0508. PMID 19515669. Bibcode: 2009PBioS.276.3047C. 
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 Schnell, Gary D. (1974). "Flight speeds and wingbeat frequencies of the Magnificent Frigatebird". The Auk 91 (3): 564–570. doi:10.2307/4084475. https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/auk/vol91/iss3/9. 
  47. ↑ Diamond, A. W.; Schreiber, E.A. (2020). Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) – Behavior. doi:10.2173/bow.magfri.01. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.magfri.01. 
  48. ↑ Mirski, Paweł; Korniluk, Michał; Tumiel, Tomasz (2025). "Movements on the breeding grounds and during migration of female Eurasian Hobbies Falco subbuteo tracked with GPS loggers". Bird Study 73 (1): 66–72. doi:10.1080/00063657.2025.2596397. 



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