There are a lot of fast creatures out in the animal kingdom, but the one that holds the record for being able to move the fastest is the peregrine falcon.

This incredible bird flies up high into the sky, and then when it spots its prey, will dive down reaching speeds as high as 300 kilometers (186 miles) per hour according to the National Audubon Society. While this is the fastest speed that has ever been verified, some people believe that they can go even faster in some situations.

This method of hunting is very effective for them, and almost necessary given that they primarily eat other birds.

By flying high above their prey, they are able to ambush them before they know what’s coming. By traveling at such incredible speeds, the other birds have little hope of surviving the attack if the falcon’s aim is true.

These birds live on all continents except Antarctica, and they hunt a variety of different types things depending on where they are.

In populated areas throughout North America, they are often seen eating pigeons. When you see them near the coasts or other large sources of water, they will take advantage of the availability of ducks and shorebirds.

To put it simply, peregrine falcons are happy to eat any type of bird that happens to be in the area. Given how fast they can travel, there are none that can outrun this incredible dive-bomber.

While the peregrine falcon is not currently endangered, their numbers in many regions are falling. It is not known yet why this is the case, but it could be from a number of things including Avian Influenza, pesticides, or the declining number of prey birds in the wild.

That bird is faster than most cars.

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