How fast can birds fly?

                      Most birds fly at speeds of 32-48 km/h. In general, the heavier the bird the faster it needs to fly in order to stay in the air.

                     However, a racing pigeon has been timed at more than 150 km/h, and it is claimed that the Indian spine-tailed swift can fly at more than 320 km/h. The peregrine falcon is a very fast flyer, and is said to travel at more than 320 km/h when diving on its prey. Strictly speaking this is not flight, because the falcon closes its wings and drops like a stone to pick up speed. The prey is usually killed outright by the strength and speed of the falcon’s strike. Powerful muscles in the bird’s legs help to cushion the enormous impact of the strike. Afterwards, the falcon follows the dead or stunned prey to the ground and often feeds there, as the prey may be too large for the bird to carry it away.

Picture credit: google