Eagles are among the fastest flying birds in the world, cruising at an average speed of 30 miles per hour in horizontal flight. Some of these largest raptors can reach a speed of 200 miles per hour within the least seconds.
Top 5 Facts About Eagles You Should Know
There are over 50 species of eagles worldwide, each with a different horizontal flight and diving speed. Some notable species include the Golden eagle, the Bald eagle, the Steller’s Sea Eagle, and the White-Tailed eagle.
Read on to discover fascinating facts of these incredible creatures.
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The Golden Eagle Is the Fastest
The Golden eagle is the largest and fastest quartet of avian flyers, with a wingspan of 6 to 8 feet. The species symbolizes power surpassing the average speed of 30 miles per hour. The Golden eagle, which is not gold, can suddenly leap upon its prey with a dizzying dive speed of up to 200 miles per hour from the lofty heights they attain.
The Golden eagle is ranked as the third-fastest bird in the world after Saker Falcon. Peregrine Falcon takes the crown as the fastest species of bird across the globe. The emblem hunting bird achieves a speed of up to 240 miles per hour by folding its aerodynamic wings back against its body to reduce drag.
The speed, agility, and prowess of a Golden Eagle give them dominion over 60 square miles and the ability to feed themselves and their young ones.
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Eagles Fly At Different Speed
Different eagles’ speed differs in horizontal flight and diving speed. The eagle’s speed and agility give them an advantage over other air and land creatures for dominance of their neighborhoods.
For instance, the Steller’s Sea eagle has a flight speed of 30 miles per hour and a maximum diving speed of 140 miles per hour. On the other hand, Young Bald eagles have a speed of 30 miles per hour while flying flat and can attain 100 miles per hour while diving for prey.
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Eagles Can Fly Over the Cloud
Eagles are impressive birds that can fly at higher ranges than other birds. Surprisingly they can fly over the clouds. Large species like Golden eagles and Bald eagles fly 25 kilometers above many storm clouds. This is the same attitude that most small planes fly at.
Eagles will glide effortlessly upwards with the help of strong winds to fly to a great distance. This ability to fly at higher altitudes allows them to migrate as far as 5000 miles in any direction.
Similar to insects like flies who use acute vision to catch prey, Eagles also use their acute eyesight from these high altitudes to spot their prey on the ground. For instance, a bald eagle can spot a moving prey from a 3 miles distance and swoop downwards at high speed.
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Eagles Soar on Wind Currents
Eagles can fly in strong winds, which give them an additional lift. Eagles use the rising air currents to soar high to astounding heights. Instead of flapping their wings, eagles will effortlessly fly for many hours with the least energy as they soar on wind currents.
However, strong winds and obstacles are dangerous to eagles when they are close to the ground. These strong flyers lack the fine control of other raptors like owls.
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Eagles Are Well Adapted to Flying Fast
Eagles have vast wingspread with an aerodynamic shape that helps them easily cut through the air. They use their mighty wings to create a lot of lift, flying quickly and efficiently. Additionally, they have a sleek body that helps reduce drag on wings when flying.
Eagles fold their wings back and tuck them very close to their body. This creates a more streamlined shape that allows eagles to cut through the air easily.
Conclusion
Eagles have remarkably great wings that take them to astounding heights. These wings facilitate unmatched speed, especially when diving. The massive wingspan allows them to ride thermals, further boosting them into the air.