Bird World Records
The fastest animal on the planet, the longest migration, the deepest dive — birds hold some of nature’s most astonishing records. Figures are the best published values and may be revised by new research.
Peregrine Falcon
Measured in a hunting stoop. Special nostril baffles let it breathe at such speeds.
Common Ostrich
The tallest, heaviest living bird; runs at about 70 km/h and lays the largest egg.
Bee Hummingbird
Weighs about 2 g. Its egg is the size of a coffee bean.
Wandering Albatross
Glides for hours over the Southern Ocean with barely a wingbeat.
Arctic Tern
Commutes between the Arctic and Antarctic, seeing two summers each year.
Bar-tailed Godwit
A tagged juvenile flew from Alaska to Tasmania in 11 days without landing (2022).
Rüppell’s Vulture
Struck by an aircraft over Côte d’Ivoire in 1973 — higher than Everest.
Emperor Penguin
Dives beyond 500 m and can hold its breath for over 20 minutes.
Laysan Albatross “Wisdom”
Ringed in 1956 on Midway Atoll and still laying eggs in her 70s.
Red-billed Quelea
Flocks of millions sweep across African grasslands like smoke.
White Bellbird
Its mating call is louder than a rock concert — aimed directly at females.
Steller’s Sea Eagle
A massive fish-eating eagle of the Russian Far East and Japan.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
The only bird whose bill is longer than its body (excluding the tail).
Kākāpō
A flightless, nocturnal parrot; every living individual has a name.
Bar-headed Goose
Crosses the Himalayas twice a year between Central Asia and South Asia.