TOP 5 FASTEST FLYING BIRDS IN THE WORLD

NO 5 EURASIAN HOBBY - 100 MPH  SCIENTIFIC NAME : Falco subbuteo                   

    A Eurasian hobby is a small member of the falcon family.  They are found in open woodlands, river edges, forests across Africa, Europe, and Asia. They can fly at a maximum speed of 100 mph.                                                                            

                                         EURASIAN HOBBY - 100 MPH 

Eurasian hobbies are slate-grey above with a dark crown and two short black moustachial stripes. The throat is unstreaked white, thighs and under tail coverts are unstreaked rufous, and the rest of the underparts are whitish with black streaks. Close views enable the red "trousers" and vent to be seen. Sexes are similar. Juveniles are generally much browner, with scaled upperparts and streaked buffy thighs and undertail coverts.

The hobby has a distinct first-summer plumage.

This falcon is 29–36 cm (11–14 in) in length with a wingspan of 74–84 cm (29–33 in) and a weight of 175–285 g (6.2–10.1 oz)       

                                                                                                                                 NO 4 WHITE-THROATED NEEDLE TAIL - 105 MPH  SCIENTIFIC NAME: Hirundapus caudacutus                                                                         

  White-throated needle -tail is a large swift that inhabits the rocky hills of Siberia and Asia. They are also known as spine-tailed swift, at a maximum speed of 105 mph. The spine-tailed swift is the fastest bird in flapping flight.                    

WHITE-THROATED NEEDLE - TAIL  - 105 MPH

  White-throated needletails are large swifts with a robust, barrel-like body. They measure about 20 cm and weigh between 110 and 120 grams. The white-throated needletail (Hirundapus caudacutus), also known as needle-tailed swift or spine-tailed swift, is a large swift in the genus Hirundapus. It is reputed to reach speeds of up to 170 km/h (105 mph) in horizontal flight, but this is unverified because the methods used to measure its speed have not been published. They build their nests in rock crevices in cliffs or hollow trees. They do not like to sit on the ground and spend most of their time in the air. They feed on small, flying insects like beetles, flies, bees, and moths.     

NO : 3  GYRFALCON - 130MPH   SCIENTIFIC NAME :

Falco rusticolus                                                                                            

Gyrfalcon is known for its high-speed dive and long pointed wings. Gyrfalcon is the largest falcon in the world. During a dive, a gyrfalcon could reach a maximum speed of 130 mph.     

GYRFALCON - 130 MPH 

  The gyrfalcon is a very polymorphic species, so its plumage varies greatly. The archetypal morphs are called "white," "silver," "brown," and "black," though they can be colored on a spectrum from all-white to very dark. The brown form of the gyrfalcon is distinguished from the peregrine by the cream streaking on the nape and crown and by the absence of a well-defined malar stripe and cap. The black morph has a strongly black-spotted underside, rather than finely barred as in the peregrine. White form gyrfalcons are the only predominantly white falcons. Silver gyrfalcons resemble a light grey lanner falcon of larger size. Males are 48 to 61 centimeters (19 to 24 inches) long, weigh 805 to 1,350 grams.   

                                                                                                                                 NO 2 GOLDEN EAGLE -  200 MPH SCIENTIFIC NAME: Aquila chrysaetos 

The golden eagle is the largest raptor in North America. They dive upon their prey from the great height. During a dive, the golden eagle can reach a maximum speed of 200 mph. 

              GOLDEN EAGLE - 200 MPH 

  For centuries, this species has been one of the most highly regarded birds used in falconry. Due to its hunting prowess, the golden eagle is regarded with great mystic reverence in some ancient tribal cultures. It is one of the most extensively studied raptor species in the world in some parts of its range, such as the Western United States and the Western Palearctic. The golden eagle is a large raptor, 66 to 102 centimeters (26 to 40 in) in length. Its wings are broad, and the wingspan is 1.8 to 2.34 meters (5 ft 11 in to 7 ft ). The golden eagle is the second heaviest breeding eagle in North America, Europe, and Africa and the fourth richest in Asia. Captive birds have been measured with a wingspan of 2.81 m (9 ft 3 in) and a mass of 12.1 kg   (27lb. Golden eagles are twice faster than grey-headed albatross with a top speed of 260 km/h.

  NO 1 PEREGRINE FALCON - 242 MPH  SCIENTIFIC NAME :

Falco peregrinus                                                                                              

 With a top speed of 242 mph, the peregrine falcon is the fastest living creatureeartharth.                             

PEREGRINE FALCON - 242 MPH 

  The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), also known as the peregrine and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey (raptor) in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon has a blue-grey back, barred white underparts, and a blackhead. The peregrine is renowned for its speed, reaching over 320 km/h (200 mph) during its characteristic hunting stoop (high-speed dive), making it the fastest bird in the world and the most immediate member of the animal kingdom.

The peregrine's breeding range includes land regions from the Arctic tundra to the tropics. It can be found nearly everywherearthEarth, except extreme polar regions, very high mountains, and most tropical rainforests; the only major ice-free landmass from which it is absent is New Zealand peregrine falcon has a body length of 34 to 58 cm (13–23 in) and a wingspan from 74 to 120 cm (29–47 in).^] The male and female have similar markings and plumage, but as in many birds of prey, the peregrine falcon displays marked sexual dimorphism in size, with the female measuring up to 30% larger than the male. Males weigh 330 to 1,000 g (0.73–2.20 lb), and the noticeably larger females weigh 700 to 1,500 g (1.5–3.3 lb). In most subspecies, males weigh less than 700 g (1.5 lb), and females weigh more than 800 g (1.8 lb), with cases of females weighing about 50% more than their male breeding mates not uncommon.