Animals

Mammal, bird and mollusc lists on this site are filled from papers and record books. Mammals start with Sharp's timed cheetah at 29 m/s and then follow Garland's 1983 table of maximal running speeds, method codes included. Birds start with Alerstam's 39 m/s peregrine stoop interval and then radar means for level flight, plus a golden eagle glide mean.

2 live rankings34 entries

The lineup · Animals

Meet the fastest

The top of each live list, one card per entry. Each rank is within its own list.

Blackbuck
Antilope cervicapra
Top speed
105km/h65.2mph29.2m/s56.7knEstimated2.8× Bolt
#1 of 18 · Fastest Mammals
Peregrine falcon
Falco peregrinus
Top speed
140km/h87.2mph39m/s75.8knVerified3.7× Bolt
#1 of 16 · Fastest Birds
Cheetah
Acinonyx jubatus
Top speed
104km/h64.9mph29m/s56.4knVerified2.8× Bolt
#2 of 18 · Fastest Mammals
Northern goshawk
Accipiter gentilis
Top speed
108km/h67.1mph30m/s58.3knEstimated2.9× Bolt
#2 of 16 · Fastest Birds
Pronghorn
Antilocapra americana
Top speed
100km/h62.1mph27.8m/s54.0knEstimated2.7× Bolt
#3 of 18 · Fastest Mammals
Common pochard
Aythya ferina
Top speed
85.0km/h52.8mph23.6m/s45.9knVerified2.3× Bolt
#3 of 16 · Fastest Birds
Goitered gazelle
Gazella subgutturosa
Top speed
97km/h60.3mph26.9m/s52.4knEstimated2.6× Bolt
Tied for 4th of 18 · Fastest Mammals
Common scoter
Melanitta nigra
Top speed
79.6km/h49.4mph22.1m/s43.0knVerified2.1× Bolt
#4 of 16 · Fastest Birds
Springbok
Antidorcas marsupialis
Top speed
97km/h60.3mph26.9m/s52.4knEstimated2.6× Bolt
Tied for 4th of 18 · Fastest Mammals
Long-tailed duck
Clangula hyemalis
Top speed
79.2km/h49.2mph22m/s42.8knVerified2.1× Bolt
#5 of 16 · Fastest Birds
Black wildebeest
Connochaetes gnou
Top speed
90km/h55.9mph25.0m/s48.6knEstimated2.4× Bolt
#6 of 18 · Fastest Mammals
Steller's eider
Polysticta stelleri
Top speed
78.8km/h49.0mph21.9m/s42.6knVerified2.1× Bolt
#6 of 16 · Fastest Birds
Grant's gazelle
Gazella granti
Top speed
81km/h50.3mph22.5m/s43.7knEstimated2.2× Bolt
Tied for 7th of 18 · Fastest Mammals
Greater scaup
Aythya marila
Top speed
76.7km/h47.6mph21.3m/s41.4knVerified2.0× Bolt
#7 of 16 · Fastest Birds
Thomson's gazelle
Gazella thomsonii
Top speed
81km/h50.3mph22.5m/s43.7knEstimated2.2× Bolt
Tied for 7th of 18 · Fastest Mammals
Tufted duck
Aythya fuligula
Top speed
76.0km/h47.2mph21.1m/s41.0knVerified2.0× Bolt
#8 of 16 · Fastest Birds

Mammals and dogs

On land

Predators, prey and the fastest dog, all from sourced figures.

Mammals · Top speed
Sourced
Fastest predators
Hunters only: the cheetah, wild dogs, wolves and lions.
1. 1Cheetah104km/h64.9mph29m/s56.4kn
2. 2African wild dog70km/h43.5mph19.4m/s37.8kn
3. 3Wolf64km/h39.8mph17.8m/s34.6kn
4 predators
Mammals · Top speed
Sourced
Fastest antelope & gazelles
True antelope and gazelles, family Bovidae. The pronghorn isn't one, so it isn't here.
1. 1Blackbuck105km/h65.2mph29.2m/s56.7kn
2. Tied for 2ndGoitered gazelle97km/h60.3mph26.9m/s52.4kn
3. Tied for 2ndSpringbok97km/h60.3mph26.9m/s52.4kn
11 bovids
Mammals · Top speed
Sourced
Fastest African mammals
Savanna sprinters and the predators that chase them.
1. 1Cheetah104km/h64.9mph29m/s56.4kn
2. 2Springbok97km/h60.3mph26.9m/s52.4kn
3. 3Black wildebeest90km/h55.9mph25.0m/s48.6kn
10 mammals
Mammals · Top speed
Sourced
Fastest Asian mammals
Mammals whose native range includes Asia.
1. 1Blackbuck105km/h65.2mph29.2m/s56.7kn
2. 2Cheetah104km/h64.9mph29m/s56.4kn
3. 3Goitered gazelle97km/h60.3mph26.9m/s52.4kn
8 mammals
Mammals · Top speed
Sourced
Fastest European mammals
Mammals whose native range includes Europe.
1. 1Brown hare72km/h44.7mph20.0m/s38.9kn
2. 2Wolf64km/h39.8mph17.8m/s34.6kn
2 mammals
Dogs · Top speed
Sourced
Wild dogs vs greyhounds
The African wild dog, the grey wolf and the greyhound record on one list.
1. 1African wild dog70km/h43.5mph19.4m/s37.8kn
2. 2Greyhound67.32km/h41.8mph18.7m/s36.3kn
3. 3Wolf64km/h39.8mph17.8m/s34.6kn
3 canids
Mammals · Top speed
Sourced
Fastest North American mammals
The pronghorn, a desert jackrabbit and the grey wolf.
1. 1Pronghorn100km/h62.1mph27.8m/s54.0kn
2. 2Antelope jackrabbit72km/h44.7mph20.0m/s38.9kn
3. 3Wolf64km/h39.8mph17.8m/s34.6kn
3 mammals
Dogs · Top speed
Sourced
Fastest sighthounds
Built for the chase. So far only the greyhound has a figure we could source.
1. 1Greyhound67.32km/h41.8mph18.7m/s36.3kn
1 breed

Birds

In the air

Stoop dives and level flight, kept apart.

Birds · Top speed
Sourced
Fastest stoop dives
Gravity-assisted stoops. Not comparable with flapping flight.
1. 1Peregrine falcon140km/h87.2mph39m/s75.8kn
2. 2Northern goshawk108km/h67.1mph30m/s58.3kn
2 birds
Birds · Top speed
Sourced
Fastest level flight
Powered, flapping flight with no help from gravity.
1. 1Common pochard85.0km/h52.8mph23.6m/s45.9kn
2. 2Common scoter79.6km/h49.4mph22.1m/s43.0kn
3. 3Long-tailed duck79.2km/h49.2mph22m/s42.8kn
13 birds
Birds · Top speed
Sourced
Fastest ducks & sea ducks
Scoters, eiders, pochards and a merganser.
1. 1Common pochard85.0km/h52.8mph23.6m/s45.9kn
2. 2Common scoter79.6km/h49.4mph22.1m/s43.0kn
3. 3Long-tailed duck79.2km/h49.2mph22m/s42.8kn
11 ducks
Birds · Top speed
Sourced
Fastest birds of prey
Falcon, hawk and eagle. Dives and glides mixed, so read each row's conditions.
1. 1Peregrine falcon140km/h87.2mph39m/s75.8kn
2. 2Northern goshawk108km/h67.1mph30m/s58.3kn
3. 3Golden eagle65.1km/h40.4mph18.07m/s35.1kn
3 raptors

Rankings

Animals rankings

Animals
18 ranked
Fastest Mammals
Current #1
Blackbuck
105km/h65.2mph29.2m/s56.7knEstimated
Animals
16 ranked
Fastest Birds
Current #1
Peregrine falcon
140km/h87.2mph39m/s75.8knVerified

Head to head

Comparisons

1.6×
Cheetah vs Greyhound
A cheetah is about 1.6× faster than a greyhound.
1.3×
Cheetah vs Peregrine falcon
A peregrine falcon is about 1.3× faster than a cheetah.

Dogs stay short on purpose. Only the greyhound has a figure we will publish: Guinness's 67.32 km/h for Star Title, a 366 metre average. Molluscs are one species. The algae octopus is ranked on Huffard's laboratory jetting maximum, under an exception that publishes the best available lab measurement when a second and third independent timing do not exist.

Nothing here is a top speed we calculated ourselves. Ratios on comparison pages are computed from the stored measurements. The copy on these pages quotes the source numbers and leaves the arithmetic to the code. Checked 6 October 2026.