Speed of animals on the earth depends on strong legs and a powerful skeleton. Speed of birds in the sky depends on other factors. The highest speed is gathered not by those birds that have the strongest wings, and those that are able to use them correctly.
Who in the sky of all quicker?
The superiority of in the sky to call divided by the fastest between two bird species. The fastest bird in dive of flight the falcon Sapsan, the representative of family falcon is considered. Having planned the victim, it "falls" on it from big height, forcing down blow of powerful paws. At such blow the production can scatter on pieces. Speed in dive can reach 389 km/h. It can be compared to the speed of some planes. Most often Sapsans hunt birds: sparrows, thrushes, pigeons, ducks, is more rare on small animals: hares, protein, bats, Amphibia.
In horizontal position the falcon Sapsan much more concedes in speed of flight to a martin. The Iglokhvosty martin is the little bird in length reaching 16-18 cm weighing 30-56 gr and capable to gather speed to 169 km/h. High speed of flight allows martins to avoid without problems prosecution of predatory fellows.
To argue with we cut in speed it can do to a cheglok. This bird of family of falcon is capable to gather speed to 160 km/h. Such speed helps a cheglok hunts for insects and small birds. A little bit the frigate which gathers in horizontal flight speed to 153 km/h lags behind from a chegolka. These birds are capable to soar over reservoirs long time, without waving wings and saving the forces. Most often frigates attack other birds of prey, taking away from them production. Not much more the serogolovy albatross lags behind the frigate. It has huge wings which scope is 3.5 m. It allows to gather flight speed to 130 km/h and to protect it for a long time. The most part of day albatrosses are turned over ocean open spaces in search of fish, Crustacea, squids, fell. Concede to eider albatrosses a little. Average speed of their flight is about 100 km/h. They, as well as albatrosses, spend over water much time, hunting cancroid, water invertebrates or simply, collecting mollusks. By means of the powerful wings the eiders can dive on depth up to 20 m, collecting food from a bottom. Also carrier pigeons are famous for the speed. They can see off in the sky till 16 o'clock in day without interruption, and to gather the speed of flight 85-100 km/h.
What helps birds to fly so quickly?
Speed of flight depends on many factors. Characteristic of flight is directly connected with the weight of a bird: the less body weight, the is easier to rise in air. For fast flight the short and pointed wings which will provide the high frequency of waves for the largest possible speed are necessary. The tail when flying serves as a wheel and helps to maneuver a body in air. Also creation of a skeleton of birds helps to be fast in the sky. Many bones at them hollow.