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The answer might surprise you, because according to the latest research, the fastest flier in the animal kingdom isn't a bird at all. So who took the title? The Peregrine Falcon? A frigatebird? Perhaps the Grey-headed Albatross? None of the above. They’re also faster than Formula 1 cars.The Common Swift has officially lost its crown as the fastest-flying animal in the sky. They’re faster than all other animals, but not only that. They reach these speeds due to their streamlined bodies, pointy wings, and large keels. They can reach speeds up to 240 miles per hour when diving to catch their prey. In conclusion, falcons are one of the fastest creatures on Earth. When migrating, they’ll typically fly from the northern parts of America all the way down to the southern parts of South America. Peregrine falcons are migratory birds and have been seen flying up to 15,500 miles (25,000 km). They’ll keep diving until they reach their prey. While it’s unknown exactly how high they can fly, it’s generally believed that they’ll keep under 3,500 feet.įalcons will use their speed to dive fast, 0.6 miles (1 km). In other words, falcons are faster than F1 cars. These are optimized for speed and have been seen driving upwards of 231 mph. While normal, everyday cars aren’t very fast, Formula 1 cars are.
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Hence, falcons are even faster than the fastest cars.įalcons are very fast creatures. The peregrine falcon has been seen flying at speeds around 240 mph.
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The fastest F1 car was recorded hitting 231 mph. Here’s how falcons compare to other animals. With their speed, they can dive hundreds of feet at over 200 mph, while simultaneously keeping an eye on their target prey, due to their incredible eyesight. These raptors use their flight abilities to hunt prey and survive in the wild. Falcon Speed Comparisonįalcons are well known for their incredible speed. This allows for faster wing beats and more control. The bones in a falcon’s wing are relatively short and have almost no space between them at the joints. This helps them achieve greater speeds, faster, as they almost cut through the air.Īnother important aspect of a falcon’s wings is how they are different from other birds’ wings. Rather than just being flat, the leading edge of the wing forms a curved line. When diving, the wings are tucked into their body. The shape of a falcon’s wing allows it to reach high speeds. This gives them more control over how they move through the air and how they land.įinally, falcons can “lock” their wings in a fixed position which allows them to glide for very long distances without having to flap their wings. Having a larger keel allows for more power to be generated, as more muscles can be activated when flapping their wings. The keel is an extension of the breastbone. In addition, falcons have a much larger wingspan to body weight ratio than other birds. Falcons Have Very Large Keelsįalcons have very large keels which provide more lift than other birds of similar size. They have narrow heads, sharp bills, a slender body, and pointy wings, which they’ll tuck into their body when diving. The same concept is used in Formula 1, where their cars are built to minimize air resistance, effectively increasing speed.įrom top to toe, falcons are streamlined. When an animal has a streamlined body it means that its body is shaped to minimize air resistance. They will only maintain this speed for a few seconds before leveling off. They have large keels (extension of the breastbone) įalcons can’t maintain the high speed for long as their muscles need time to recover after the dive.Well, falcons are fast for 3 main reasons:
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