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What is the fastest swimming bird in the world?
What is the fastest swimming bird in the world?
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Gentoo penguins are the world’s fastest swimming birds, thanks to the unique shape and structure of their wings. Gentoo penguins are the world’s fastest swimming birds, clocking in at maximum underwater speeds of up to 36 km/h (about 22 mph).
Gentoo penguins are the fastest swimming birds in the world, and that ability comes from their unique and sophisticated wings. They have a maximum burst of speed of about 36 km/h (22 mph).
The birds’ trick is called “feathering.” This motion affects the angle of the penguins’ wings while swimming. And that gives them a huge speed advantage.
On Gentoo penguins, paddle-like wings create thrust that pushes the birds forward through the water.
During feathering, a penguin tilts the bottoms of its wings forward or back. That changes the angle of its wings relative to the water. It also can cut down the amount of water resistance against a penguin’s wings, letting it zoom ahead faster.
How often a Gentoo flaps its wings also plays an important role in speed. Flapping many times per second can generate more thrust that pushes a penguin forward. But it requires a penguin to tilt its wings more, using more energy. So, it’s not necessarily the most efficient way to gain speed.
A penguin’s perfect swimming speed comes from a “just right” mix of flapping speed and wing angle.