The average flight speed of birds is 40-60 kilometers per hour. Which bird flies the fastest? It is not so easy to answer this question - after all, it is difficult to measure the time that birds spend on overcoming a given path, and the data of scientists differ from each other. However, all sources agree that no other bird, like an animal, can overtake a peregrine falcon. During hunting and defense, this predator gains speed exceeding 300 km/h!
Characteristics
Peregrine falcon is a bird of the falcon family. There are 18 species that differ from each other in color and habitat. The predator is comparable in size to a crow, its average length is 50 cm. The wingspan is more than a meter. Powerful chest with pronounced muscles, strong fingers with rounded thick claws, short curved beak. The ends of the long tail and wings are sharp,which allows the bird to dexterously maneuver. The back, wings and head of the bird are dark in color, the belly is light. A characteristic external difference is the dark stripes near the beak, resembling a mustache.
Females reach 1.5 kg of weight and are much larger than the representatives of the stronger half. The weight of males does not exceed 800 g. There are no differences in color among heterosexual representatives of this species. Peregrine falcon can hardly be called a songbird. Usually the sharp and loud voice of a predator can be heard during the mating season or serious disturbance.
How fast does the fastest bird fly? The usual speed of a peregrine falcon is limited to an average of 130 km / h. When attacking prey or defending its territory, the predator dives at a speed of about 330 km/h.
Habitat
Falcon is undemanding to climatic conditions, so its distribution area is limited only to Antarctica. It is found both in the hot tropics and in cold regions. In the wild, the peregrine falcon builds nests in places inaccessible to humans. He especially likes rocky and mountainous areas.
In forest thickets, the predator prefers to settle in hollows of trees or high above the ground, evicting previous inhabitants from their homes. An important condition for the survival of peregrine falcons is the presence of a reservoir near the nest. Some individuals prefer urban conditions. So, in the USA, peregrine falcons settle on the roofs of cathedrals and high-rise buildings.
Today in Russia there are about 5 thousandindividuals, which is comparatively less than a few decades ago. Therefore, the Red Book bird is under state protection.
Lifestyle
Answering the question of which bird flies the fastest, ornithologists began to study the lifestyle of record holders, thanks to which a curious layman can learn many interesting facts about the life of peregrine falcons. It turns out that these predators are real conservatives!
Falcons are sedentary. Their territories are inherited and belong to the same family for several generations. It is curious that peregrine falcons prefer to nest at a considerable distance from their fellows - about 2–5 km. Birds defend their possessions aggressively and actively, fearlessly attacking even such large enemies as an eagle or gray crow. When a person appears, predators behave uneasily, circle over their heads, and scream loudly.
Feathers are monogamous. Their pairs are formed for several years. The female lays eggs once a year and incubates them together with the future father of the family. The hatched chicks are absolutely helpless. They will be able to fly only a month and a half after birth.
Food
Most small birds know firsthand which bird flies the fastest and attacks mercilessly, because they make up the majority of the peregrine falcon's diet. Since the winged predator usually hunts in flight, sparrows, pigeons, larks, and blackbirds become its prey. However, the predator does not disdain mammals: hares, mice, hamsters, squirrels. Sometimes he can even eat insects or frogs.
Peregrine falcons hunt in pairs. Having found the prey, the predator rapidly gains height and falls on the prey. At this moment, he is gaining maximum speed. The blow is so strong that it is not uncommon for a falcon trophy to fall apart.
The feathered catch delivers to the nest, where it deals with it. Unlike most other predators, the falcon eats only the torso of its prey. Over time, numerous bone remains of victims accumulate around the peregrine falcon nests.
Bird records
Ornithologists managed not only to find out which bird flies the fastest, but also to identify the fastest feathered bird. It turned out to be an ostrich, which picks up speed up to 70 km / h, despite its impressive size and significant weight.
A famous diver is a penguin. In addition, the inhabitant of the Antarctic is able to compete with the best swimmers - in the water, the clumsy and clumsy polar inhabitant picks up speed up to 30 km/h.
Which bird flies the fastest and highest of all? There is no single answer to this question. Usually predators take off above all, since it is more convenient for them to look out for prey from a height. History knows cases when migratory birds rose so high that they collided with airliners. Among them were noted migrating swans and a vulture (vulture).
Which bird flies the fastest in a horizontal path? Here the leading position is occupied by a swift. Its speed reaches 140 km / h, while the peregrine falcon in the periodpeace of mind moves no faster than 70 km/h.
