CIRCULAR 428, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



Table 1. — Recorded speeds of some North American and European birds — Contd. 

 FLYING SPEEDS— Continued. 



Species 



Miles per 

 hour 



Timing de- 

 vice 



Place 



Authority 



Remarks 



Ring-billed gull— - 



Black-headed gull. 

 Do 



35 



21-30 



20.21.5 



15,29 



25, 27 



13 



IS 



30= 

 30-36 



40-41 



26 



12-22 

 45 



55= 



36 

 20,25 



23 



27 



25 

 43-44 

 15-23 



11 



17 

 10 



23-28 



32,54 



28 



24 



25 

 31 

 23 

 42-46 

 20 



23-32 



37.75 



34 



25 



25 

 20 

 20 

 35 

 19 

 24 

 25 

 60- 



25-32 



16 



12 



19,22 



20-32 



36 



17-23 

 17 



32-45 

 28 



IS 

 44 



31.4 



Automobile. 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



North Caro- 

 lina. 



England 



do 



do 



do._ 



Howell, A. H.... 



Roberts {63) 



Harrisson (33)... 



Roberts (63) 



Harrisson {33)... 



Wood {84) 



Longstreet (44)- 



Bassett (12) 



Tyler (71) 



Wood (84) - 



Tonkin, G 



Wood {83) 



do. (84) 



4 observations. 



Leisurely flight. 



2 observations, easy 



flight. 



Common tern 



Do 



Do 



Black skimmer 



Mourning dove 



Do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do. 



do 



Florida 



California 



do 



Kansas 



California 



2 birds, 3 miles, wind 

 ahead. 



Do 





Do 





Do... 





Y ell ow -bill e d 





cuckoo. 

 Niehthawk 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do. 



do 



do 



do 



do 



Kansas 



do. (83) .... 



3 observations. 



Ruby-throated 

 humminebird. 

 Do. 



Pennsylvania. 

 Virginia.. 



California 



New Hamp- 

 shire. 



California 



do.. 



do.. 



New England- 



Hayes (34) 



Allard (9) 



McLean (45).... 

 White (78, v. 44, 

 46). 



Wood {84) 



Gignoux (28) 



Wetmore {77)... 



McLean {45) 



White {78, v. 46, 

 50; . 



Wood {84) 



do. (83) 



Easy flight. 



Bird not frightened, ap- 



Belted kingfisher.. 

 Northern flicker... 



Do 



parently easy flight. 

 2 observations. 



Red-shafted flicker. 

 Do 



Bird surpised, doing its 



best. 



Do... 



Startled. 



Kinsbird .. 



5 observations. 



Do 





Arkansas kingbird. 



do 



do 



do 



do. 



do 



do. 



do 



Kansas 





Scissor-tailed fly- 

 catcher. 



Horned lark. 



Do 



do 



California 



do 



do 



New England. 



do. (83) 



Wetmore (77)... 



McLean (45) 



Tyler (71) 



White {78, v. BO). 



Wood (84) 



Harrisson {33)... 

 White (78, v. 50) _ 



McLean (45) 



Wood (84) 



Harrisson {33)... 

 Meinertzhagen 

 U9)- 



do (45) 



Wallis(74) 



Walker (73) 



Wood (84) 



White {78, v. 46) . 



Roberts {63) 



Harrisson (33)... 

 Wetmore (77)... 

 Anonymous (3). 

 Martin (47j 



Rathbun {61)... 



White (78,v.46). 



Wood (84) 



....do. (84) 



White {78) 



Aymar {10, p. 

 135). 



Wood (84) 



....do. (84). 



Rathbun {61)... 

 Wetmore (77)... 

 White (78, i. 46). 

 Purtal (55) 



Wynne - Ed- 

 wards {85). 



Several observations. 

 2 observations. 



Do 





Tree swallow 



Do 



2 birds, stragglers from 

 migrating flock. 



Bank swallow 



Barn swallow 



Do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



Theodolites. 



do 



Automobile. 



Stop watch . 



Automobile. 



do 



do 



do 



do 



Train 



do 



Automobile - 



do 



do 



England 



New England. 

 California 



England 



East Africa 



do 



England 



do 



Chased by car. 



Do 



2 observations, same 



European swallow. 

 Do 



speed. 

 11 observations. 

 In migration, wind calm, 



Do 



235 feet. 

 In migration, strong 



Do 



head wind, near 

 ground. 

 200 yards, ordinary flight, 



Do 



for food. 



Purple martin 



Blue jay 





New Eneland. 



England 



do 



California 



Missouri 



New York 



Washington... 

 New England. 







Chased. 



Do 



40 yards. 



Raven 









Do 



Could just keep up to 



Do 



train going 58 to 62 

 m. p. h. 

 Many observations. 



Catbird 





Do 





Brown thrasher 



Robin . 



do 



do 



do 



New England. 



2 observations. 

 11 observations. 



Do 





Do . 



do 



do 



-".".do-.."" 

 — ..do 



New England- 

 Washington... 



California 



New England. 

 England 



do 



3 observations. 





2 observations, 1 carry- 



Shrike. 



ing food, 1 without. 



Do 





Starling . .. 





Do . 



Average maximum level 



Do 



Stop watch . 



flight through still air. 

 Involving climb of 350 





feet. No wind. 



