List of birds by flight heights

Common cranes flying

Migratory birds and birds of prey can reach substantial heights while flying. This list gives the highest recorded flights for various species (limited to observations of 4,500 metres/15,000 feet and above).

Birds by flight height

Bird	Image	Species	Family	Flight height
Rüppell's vulture		Gyps rueppellii	Accipitridae	Rüppell's vulture has been found at heights up to 11,300 metres (37,000 feet).[1][2] Vultures use their excellent eyesight to scan the landscape below from a relatively static aerial position. Instead of flying over a larger distance, they use elevation to expand their field of vision. If they spot a meal down below, the climb has an immediate payoff.
Common crane		Grus grus	Gruidae	The common crane has been recorded flying across the Himalayas at heights up to 10,000 metres (33,000 feet).[2] This great height allows them to avoid eagles in the mountain passes.[2]
Bar-headed goose		Anser indicus	Anatidae	The bar-headed goose can reach 8,800 metres (29,000 feet).[2][3][4] They also fly over the peaks of the Himalayas on their migratory path.[3]
Whooper swan		Cygnus cygnus	Anatidae	A flock of whooper swans was recorded by radar flying at 8,200 metres (27,000 feet) over Northern Ireland.[2][4]
Alpine chough		Pyrrhocorax graculus	Corvidae	The alpine chough has been seen at heights of 8,000 metres (26,500 feet) on Mount Everest.[4]
Bearded vulture		Gypaetus barbatus	Accipitridae	The bearded vulture has been recorded at heights up to 7,300 metres (24,000 feet).[1]
Andean condor		Vultur gryphus	Cathartidae	The Andean condor can soar up to 6,500 metres (21,300 feet).[5]
Mallard		Anas platyrhynchos	Anatidae	The mallard has been found at heights up to 6,400 metres (21,000 feet) over Nevada.[1][3][4]
Bar-tailed godwit		Limosa lapponica	Scolopacidae	The bar-tailed godwit can reach 6,000 metres (20,000 feet) while migrating.[4][6]
White stork		Ciconia ciconia	Ciconiidae	The white stork can reach 4,800 metres (16,000 feet) while migrating.[6]

See also

• Organisms at high altitude
• List of birds by flight speed

References

1. Laybourne, Roxie C. (December 1974). "Collision between a Vulture and an Aircraft at an Altitude of 37,000 Feet". The Wilson Bulletin (Wilson Ornithological Society) 86 (4): 461–462. ISSN 0043-5643. JSTOR 4160546. OCLC 46381512.
2. Carwardine, Mark (2008). Animal Records. Sterling. p. 124. ISBN 1402756232.
3. Lincoln, Frederick C. (1999). Migration of Birds. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. p. 30. ISBN 0160617014.
4. Whiteman, Lily (2000). "The High Life". Audubon 102 (6): 104–108. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
5. Gargiulo, Carolina Natalia (2012). Distribución y situación actual del cóndor andino (Vultur gryphus) en las sierras centrales de Argentina (PDF) (Thesis). Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
6. Elphick, Jonathan (2007). The Atlas of Bird Migration: Tracing the Great Journeys of the World's Birds. Struik. p. 23. ISBN 1770074996.