Which bird flaps its wings the fastest?

Birds have evolved over millions of years to become masters of the sky. Their ability to fly allows them to migrate long distances, evade predators, and hunt prey. One key aspect of avian flight is the speed at which birds can flap their wings. The wingbeat frequency, measured as the number of up and down strokes per second, varies significantly among bird species. Small songbirds may beat their wings 20 times per second, while large birds like swans flap at much slower rates. So which bird species has the fastest wing flapping speed?

Wingbeat Frequencies of Different Bird Groups

Wingbeat frequency is dependent on a bird’s size, wing shape, body mass, and flight style. Small passerine birds like hummingbirds, swifts, and small finches have the fastest wingbeat speeds, while larger birds like hawks, Ravens, and geese flap more slowly. Here are some average wingbeat frequencies of major avian groups:

As the table shows, tiny hummingbirds have the fastest wing speed by far, beating their wings around 80 times per second! The wings of larger birds simply cannot flap as quickly due to their size and the aerodynamics involved. Slower wingbeats generate greater lift and thrust to keep heavier birds aloft.

Record Wingbeat Frequencies

While average wingbeat frequency varies across bird groups, some individual species have been recorded flapping at extreme speeds. Here are some of the fastest wingbeat frequencies ever documented for particular bird species:

Anna’s Hummingbird – 120 strokes/second

Anna’s hummingbird (Calypte anna) breeds along the Pacific Coast and many winter in the western US. It is one of the smallest birds found in North America, weighing only 3-6 grams. This tiny size allows Anna’s hummingbird to beat its wings remarkably fast – up to 120 times per second has been recorded during courtship displays! This is among the fastest of any vertebrate animal.

White-throated Needletail – 108 strokes/second

The white-throated needletail (Hirundapus caudacutus) is a large, slender swift found in Asia and Australasia. It breeds in central Asia and migrates south for the winter. Although slightly larger than a hummingbird, it can flap its long, curved wings up to an incredible 108 beats per second. It uses this speed to forage for aerial insects.

Eurasian Hobby – 100 strokes/second

The Eurasian hobby (Falco subbuteo) is a slim falcon that breeds across Europe, Asia, and Africa. It hunts birds and large insects in open areas. While diving at high speeds, the Eurasian hobby can beat its pointed wings up to 100 times per second to achieve rapid acceleration and maneuvers.

Chimney Swift – 95 strokes/second

The chimney swift (Chaetura pelagica) is a small cigar-shaped bird that nests in chimneys and forages aerially for insects. A North American species, it roosts communally in large chimneys. Chimney swifts beat their narrow, curved wings 95 times per second on average, but can reach up to 118 wingbeats per second. This allows them to catch flying insects and adeptly maneuver through the air.

Fastest Overall Wing Speed

While wingbeat frequency indicates how rapidly a bird flaps its wings, the actual speed of the wingtips is also an important measure of flapping velocity. Wingtips must reach high speeds to generate enough lift and thrust to propel the bird’s body weight through the air. Extreme tip speeds result from a combination of rapid flapping and long wing length.

Peregrine Falcon – 389 km/h (242 mph)

The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) is renowned for its flying speed and diving prowess. As it initiates a stoop, or hunting dive, peregrines tuck in their wings and hurtles down steeply, accelerating up to 320 km/h (200 mph). During its wind-up phase before descending, peregrines beat their large, pointed wings to reach horizontal closed-wing speeds of 389 km/h (242 mph). This is the fastest speed reliably recorded for a bird, and more than twice as fast as a cheetah can run!

Frigatebird – 156 km/h (97 mph)

Frigatebirds have the largest wing area relative to their body weight of any bird. They use this to soar effortlessly over tropical seas for hours or days without landing. Great frigatebirds in particular can work into a downward swooping glide that allows them to attain speeds of 153-156 km/h (95-97 mph) as they snatch food from the ocean surface. Their record wingtip speed is second only to the peregrine falcon.

Spine-tailed Swift – 140 km/h (87 mph)

The spine-tailed swift (Chaetura caudacuta) of South America is very similar to the related chimney swift, but with dramatically elongated tail streamers used for displays. It breeds high in the Andes Mountains and forages for insects above dense forests. Spine-tailed swifts shoot through the air at up to 140 km/h (87 mph), vying with hummingbirds for the fastest flapping speed in sustained flight.

Factors Allowing Fast Wing Speeds

Certain anatomical and behavioral adaptations allow some birds to flap their wings so rapidly or reach such fast tip speeds:

Small Body Size

The hummingbirds and swifts with the fastest wingbeat frequencies are all tiny birds under 10-12 cm (4-5 inches) long. Their small body size reduces inertia so their wing muscles can flap at blurring speeds.

Light Skeletal Structure

Birds like swifts and hummingbirds have highly pneumatized bones filled with air pockets. Their lightweight skeletons reduce the energy needed for flapping flight.

Aerodynamic Wings

Wings with a curved, streamlined shape slice through the air with minimal resistance, permitting rapid acceleration and maneuvering. High-speed fliers like peregrines and chimney swifts have long, pointed wings.

Powerful Flight Muscles

To generate such fast wingbeats, birds require immense pectoral muscles making up 20% or more of their total body weight. These breast muscles are attached to large keeled sternums providing ample surface area for muscle attachment.

Energy-rich Diet

Swift, sustained flapping flight requires massive amounts of energy. Hummingbirds drink nectar, while swifts and falcons eat insects and birds which provide the abundant calories needed to power rapid wingbeats.

Aerial Hunting Methods

Many of the fastest flying birds like falcons, swifts, and nighthawks hunt on the wing. By flying rapidly, they are able to chase down flying insect prey. High wing speeds give them maneuverability and the ability to catch elusive animals.

Implications of Fast Wing Speeds

The evolution of such rapid wing flapping offers several key advantages:

Enhanced Maneuverability

Birds like Anna’s hummingbirds hovering motionless in midair demonstrate the incredible maneuverability provided by wings beating over 100 times per second. Wingtips that blur allow precision hovering, sudden dodging, and swift reversing of direction.

Aerodynamic Improvements

Faster moving wingtips mean smoother airflow over the wing surface. This reduces drag and turbulence, improving lift generation to keep a bird aloft.

Display Capabilities

Courtship displays like hummingbird hovering and diving provide visual evidence of fitness to potential mates. The ability to power rapid and sustained wingbeats translates to reproductive success.

Prey Capture Ability

Speed is critical for falcons, swifts, and nighthawks that live on a diet of other flying animals. Only by matching the speeds of insect prey can they reliably catch enough food in the air.

Predator Evasion

Hummingbirds escaping strikes by predatory birds rely on being able to rapidly maneuver in any direction, requiring wingtips that can change position quickly through fast flapping.

Conclusion

Wingbeat frequency varies widely in the avian world, with the smallest hummingbirds flapping up to 120 times per second, while large geese flap slowly only a couple times each second. Maximum wingtip speeds are exemplified by the peregrine falcon diving at speeds over 240 mph. Aerodynamic wings, large flight muscles, and aerial hunting techniques have driven the evolution of specialized high-speed fliers. Blurring wingbeats provide hummingbirds, swifts, and falcons improved maneuverability, courtship displays, prey capture ability, and predator avoidance. Next time you see a swift or hummingbird whirring by, appreciate the anatomical adaptations and skill behind such a feat of rapid motion.