How fast do they fly and whats the rate of migration?
Birds in general fly at various speeds, and for a substantial flight large birds on average fly faster than small birds. Over the entire bird world the average flight speeds range from 20-50 mph. A peregrine on a stoop (dive towards prey) is estimated to exceed 100 mph (the fastest moving animal on earth). On migration, flight is not at speeds used to catch prey or escape predators, but impressive distances are still covered. A 10 hour flight carries most migrants 100-250 miles. Waterfowl may cover 400-500 miles in the same time period. Birds are clocked in migration by radar to be moving about 30 mph for songbirds and 45 for shorebirds. Much of the speed of migration depends on wind conditions and some birds slow down to conserve energy when they are aided by wind. Bird banding has produced some extraordinary examples of individual flights. A Lesser Yellowlegs banded on Cape Cod, for example, was found in the West Indies only 6 days later. Other facts can also influence the speeds bir
