White-throated Needletail

Hirundapus caudacutus

Widely cited as the fastest bird in level flight. Blink and you'll miss delivery.

Population: Global population size not quantified by BirdLife/IUCN; suspected stable in the absence of evidence for declines or substantial threats (regional estimates suggest roughly 100-10,000 breeding pairs across China, Korea, and Japan)
Habitat: Breeds in temperate forests, grasslands, and shrublands from sea level up to 4,000 m elevation (including the Himalayas); non-breeding habitat includes subtropical/tropical moist lowland and montane forest; nests in rock crevices/cliffs or hollow trees; forages almost entirely on the wing, rarely landing
Fun fact: The White-throated Needletail is one of the fastest birds in level flapping flight, with credible estimates around 70-75 km/h (an oft-repeated historical claim of up to 170 km/h in horizontal flight is considered unverified/implausible by ornithologists).
Range: Breeds across Central Asia and southern Siberia through Mongolia, China, Korea, and Japan (extent of occurrence ~17 million km2 breeding, ~28.5 million km2 non-breeding); winters in South and Southeast Asia and eastern/northern Australia; rare vagrant to Western Europe (Norway, Sweden, Great Britain) and occasionally New Zealand
Diet: Aerial insectivore -- catches flying insects on the wing, including beetles, flies, bees, ants, termites, and moths, using a wide gaping bill
Size: 0.2 m
Lifespan: 11.5 years

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