Skip to content
FastestThings

Birds · Ranked by top speed

Fastest Birds in Level Flight (2026)

Level flight is the honest test of a bird's engine: no dive, no glide. Most figures here are radar means of equivalent airspeed from a single study, so they compare like with like.

13 rankedA source on every row
Post on X (opens in a new tab)
A view of Fastest BirdsFlightLevel flight

13 birds, ties share a rank.

  1. 1
    Common pochard

    Aythya ferina

    85.0km/h52.8mph23.6m/s45.9kn2.3× Bolt
    VerifiedPLOS Biology (opens source in a new tab)
  2. 2
    Common scoter

    Melanitta nigra

    79.6km/h49.4mph22.1m/s43.0kn2.1× Bolt
    VerifiedPLOS Biology (opens source in a new tab)
  3. 3
    Long-tailed duck

    Clangula hyemalis

    79.2km/h49.2mph22m/s42.8kn2.1× Bolt
    VerifiedPLOS Biology (opens source in a new tab)
  4. 4
    Steller's eider

    Polysticta stelleri

    78.8km/h49.0mph21.9m/s42.6kn2.1× Bolt
    VerifiedPLOS Biology (opens source in a new tab)
  5. 5
    Greater scaup

    Aythya marila

    76.7km/h47.6mph21.3m/s41.4kn2.0× Bolt
    VerifiedPLOS Biology (opens source in a new tab)
  6. 6
    Tufted duck

    Aythya fuligula

    76.0km/h47.2mph21.1m/s41.0kn2.0× Bolt
    VerifiedPLOS Biology (opens source in a new tab)
  7. Tied for 7th
    Eurasian wigeon

    Anas penelope

    74.2km/h46.1mph20.6m/s40.0kn2.0× Bolt
    VerifiedPLOS Biology (opens source in a new tab)
  8. Tied for 7th
    Northern pintail

    Anas acuta

    74.2km/h46.1mph20.6m/s40.0kn2.0× Bolt
    VerifiedPLOS Biology (opens source in a new tab)
  9. 9
    Common goldeneye

    Bucephala clangula

    73.1km/h45.4mph20.3m/s39.5kn1.9× Bolt
    VerifiedPLOS Biology (opens source in a new tab)
  10. Tied for 10th
    Red knot

    Calidris canutus

    72.4km/h45.0mph20.1m/s39.1kn1.9× Bolt
    VerifiedPLOS Biology (opens source in a new tab)
  11. Tied for 10th
    Velvet scoter

    Melanitta fusca

    72.4km/h45.0mph20.1m/s39.1kn1.9× Bolt
    VerifiedPLOS Biology (opens source in a new tab)
  12. 12
    Red-breasted merganser

    Mergus serrator

    72.0km/h44.7mph20m/s38.9kn1.9× Bolt
    VerifiedPLOS Biology (opens source in a new tab)
  13. 13
    Common swift

    Apus apus

    38.2km/h23.7mph10.6m/s20.6kn1.0× Bolt
    VerifiedPLOS Biology (opens source in a new tab)

Top speed · sourced

Birds, by how they fly

A stoop and a flap are different feats. Compare like with like.

  • 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 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

Spot a wrong number?

Every report is read by a person, and corrections are dated on the page.