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What is the fastest seabird species in level flight?

To: Laurie Knight <>
Subject: What is the fastest seabird species in level flight?
From: John Tongue <>
Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2017 11:24:03 +0000
Not sure the answer to your question, Laurie, but I do know that most of the 
Albatrosses and Petrels that regularly follow us back in from pelagics put 
little effort into their flight which generally overtakes us effortlessly. :)

John Tongue
Devonport, Tasmania

> On 20 Jan 2017, at 10:13 PM, Laurie Knight <> wrote:
>
> The Spirit of Tasmania averages 27 knots (or around 50 km/hr) on its Bass 
> Strait crossings.  This is a fair bit faster than the tubs that take birders 
> out on pelagic trips. While travelling on the ferry last month, I was 
> fascinated to see how effortlessly the seabirds (albatross, shearwaters, 
> prions) kept up with the ship.
>
> That got me thinking about just how fast seabirds can fly.  What are the 
> pelagic equivalents of swifts, how fast can they fly, and how far can they 
> fly at that speed?
>
> Regards, Laurie.
>
> [Note, there are no references to unladen African or European Swallows in the 
> above query].
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