# The fastest animals in the world

The fastest animals by top recorded speed, according to Wikipedia's list of fastest animals. Divers like the peregrine falcon win easily; on land, the cheetah. Speeds are approximate maximums.

- 98 votes · 21 items
- Aug 9, 2021 · K. Rao
- https://even.best/en/l/622/the-fastest-animals-in-the-world

## Top 20

1. **Peregrine falcon** (7 · ▲8 ▼1) — About 389 km/h (242 mph), diving. The fastest animal on Earth, reaching about 389 km/h (242 mph) in its hunting stoop.
2. **Golden eagle** (6 · ▲6 ▼0) — About 320 km/h (199 mph), diving. Can reach around 240-320 km/h when diving on prey.
3. **Mexican free-tailed bat** (5 · ▲6 ▼1) — About 160 km/h (99 mph), level flight. Claimed to have the fastest horizontal speed of any animal.
4. **Black marlin** (5 · ▲6 ▼1) — About 129 km/h (80 mph), swimming. A hooked marlin has been clocked stripping line off a reel at 129 km/h.
5. **White-throated needletail** (5 · ▲5 ▼0) — About 169 km/h (105 mph), level flight. Considered the fastest bird in flapping flight.
6. **Frigatebird** (5 · ▲5 ▼0) — About 153 km/h (95 mph), flight. Helped by the largest wing area for its weight of any bird.
7. **Eurasian hobby** (4 · ▲5 ▼1) — About 160 km/h (99 mph), level flight. Fast enough to catch swifts in the air.
8. **Grey-headed albatross** (4 · ▲5 ▼1) — About 127 km/h (79 mph), flight.
9. **Pronghorn** (4 · ▲5 ▼1) — About 88 km/h (55 mph), running. The fastest over long distances: about 56 km/h for 6 km.
10. **Springbok** (3 · ▲3 ▼0) — About 88 km/h (55 mph), running. A southern African antelope famous for its high leaps.
11. **Gyrfalcon** (2 · ▲5 ▼3) — About 209 km/h (130 mph), diving. The largest falcon in the world.
12. **Thomson's gazelle** (2 · ▲3 ▼1) — About 80 km/h (50 mph), running. Can outlast cheetahs through sheer endurance.
13. **Spur-winged goose** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — About 142 km/h (88 mph), flight.
14. **Ostrich** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — About 97 km/h (60 mph), running. The fastest animal on two legs.
15. **Austrophlebia costalis (dragonfly)** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — About 98 km/h (61 mph), flight. The fastest verified insect flight.
16. **Rock dove (pigeon)** (1 · ▲3 ▼2) — About 149 km/h (93 mph), flight. Racing pigeons have been clocked at 92.5 mph (149 km/h).
17. **Sailfish** (1 · ▲2 ▼1) — About 109 km/h (68 mph), swimming and leaping. Measured covering 91 metres in 3 seconds, including leaps out of the water.
18. **Quarter Horse** (1 · ▲2 ▼1) — About 88 km/h (55 mph), running. The American breed named for winning quarter-mile sprints.
19. **Anna's hummingbird** (0 · ▲2 ▼2) — About 98 km/h (61 mph), courtship dive. One of the fastest vertebrates relative to its size.
20. **Cheetah** (-1 · ▲1 ▼2) — About 110 km/h (68 mph), running. The fastest land animal, at about 100-120 km/h in short sprints.
21. **Blue wildebeest** (-2 · ▲0 ▼2) — About 80 km/h (50 mph), running.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.