How Fast Is Swallow?

Swallows fly at 60 km/h with extraordinary aerial agility — performing turns the Space Shuttle could not match. They drink while flying, skimming lake surfaces with their lower beak open to scoop water without slowing down.

European swallows winter in southern Africa, a 9,000 km journey — they navigate using a combination of star patterns, the Earth's magnetic field, and remembered landmarks.

• Slightly slower than a greyhound
• Turns the Space Shuttle couldn't match