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Birds are amazing creatures. The following is a list of some
rather interesting bird records... Largest Bill - Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) - up to 18.5in.
Most feathers - Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) - 25,216.
Fastest Flying - Falco peregrinus - 124mph, however this is in a steep dive. In level flight the record goes to the Wandering Albatross which was clocked maintaining 35mph for 500 miles.
Fastest Wingbeat - Horned Sungem Heliacter cornuta from South America - 90 beats/sec several other hummingbirds have similar wingbeat speeds.
Most acrobatic flight - Hobby Falco subbutea which can catch swallows and swifts in mid-air. Many hummingbirds can fly backwards and sideways as well as going vertically up and down.
Longest migratory flight - Arctic tern Sterna Paradisa from Kondalakaha Russia to Freemantle W. Australia. They breed on shores of Arctic ocean then fly to the Antarctic. One bird was caught 9 months after it was banded 14,000 miles away on November 29, 1973.
Highest recorded flight - Ruppell's Griffon Vulture Gyps ruepellii recorded flying at 37,000ft, at this height human beings would die from lack of air.
Deepest dive - Emperor Penguin Aptenodytes fosteri with a dive of 1584ft recorded in 1990.
Longest dive - Emperor Penguin Aptenodytes fosteri again, recorded at 18 minutes by the same scientists as above.
Largest Roost - Brambling Fringilla montifringilla - A roost of 70 million birds was recorded in Switzerland in winter 1951/52.
Largest natural distribution - Peregrin Falcon Falco peregrinus - found on every continent except Antarctica.
Largest natural clutch - Grey Partridge Perdix perdix - Over 15-16 up to 20.
Longest lived (proven claim) - Sulphur Crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) -
One specimen lived 80 years in captivity as an adult.
Quickest generation time - 5 species of quails in the genus Caturnix - They actually mature 5 weeks after hatching.
Keenest vision - Peregrin Falcon Falco peregrinus can see a pigeon at 5 miles.
Keenest hearing - Barn Owls Tyto alba and kin, can catch a rodent in complete darkness.
Fastest Swimmer - Gentoo penguin (Pygaelis papua) - recorded at 17mph.
Loudest song - Male Kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) - up to 4.4 miles.
Fastest Runner - Ostrich, males can easily run at 45mph.
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