Animals: Bird Speeds

When a flock of teal or broadbill flares past, most duck gunners would swear— especially if they have missed their shots— that the birds were moving 75 to 100 m. p. h. Last week May Thacher Cook, junior biologist of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, braved duck gunners’ indignation. She announced that wild fowl speeds had been carefully paced by plane, automobile and timing device. Ducks and geese, said Biologist Cook, seldom have a higher cruising speed than 40 m. p. h. As far as she knew, the swiftest bird timed was a duck hawk which attained spurts of 180 m. p. h. pursuing prey. Other bird speeds:

Pintail duck 55-65 m. p. h.

Albatross 60 m. p. h.

Teal 50-59 m. p. h.

Mallard 50-58 m. p. h.

Falcon 40-48 m. p. h.

Sand grouse 43-47 m. p. h.

Brant 45 m. p. h.

Canada goose 44 m. p. h.