How Fast Do Birds Fly?

On land, the fastest creatures in the animal kingdom are the horse, which can run at 50 miles per hour, and the cheetah, which can top 70 miles per hour.

But that's nothing compared to the speed of some birds. Even a common small bird like the sparrow can sail along at 50 miles per hour, while pigeons can reach 65 miles per hour, and ducks, 70 miles per hour.

The fastest of all birds — and the fastest-moving living creature — however, is a small bird called the swift. Swifts can speed through the air at more than 106 miles per hour! Now that's swift!