NatureMay 18, 2024
The Peregrine Falcon is the Fastest Animal in the World
What We’re Showing
The top speeds of the fastest flying animals in miles-per-hour (mph) for both diving/stooping and horizontal flight. The data is compiled by Fact Animal from various academic sources and includes the fastest reliably recorded speeds for each animal.
Key Takeaways
- When diving, the peregrine falcon is the fastest animal in the world with a staggering top speed of 242 mph. To put that into context, the fastest car in the world recorded a top speed of 330 mph.
- The peregrine falcon also ranks 7th in terms of fastest air animals in horizontal flight.
- The three fastest air animals on the planet, when diving, are all birds of prey. The peregrine falcon, golden eagle and saker falcon have renowned aerial hunting abilities, including high-speed dives or stoops to capture prey in flight.
Dataset
Rank | Animal | Top speed mph | Type of Flight |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Peregrine Falcon | 242 | Diving/Stooping |
2 | Golden Eagle | 200 | Diving/Stooping |
3 | Saker Falcon | 198 | Diving/Stooping |
1 | Mexican Free-tailed Bat | 100 | Horizontal |
2 | Red-breasted Merganser | 100 | Horizontal |
3 | Saker Falcon | 93 | Horizontal |
4 | Racing Pigeon | 89 | Horizontal |
5 | Osprey | 80 | Horizontal |
6 | Grey-headed Albatross | 79 | Horizontal |
7 | Common Swift | 70 | Horizontal |
8 | Peregrine Falcon | 62 | Horizontal |
9 | Golden Plover | 62 | Horizontal |
10 | Crow | 60 | Horizontal |
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