Maine’s Fastest Bird is a True Speed Demon of the Sky

When it comes to Maine wildlife, we are very fortunate for a number of reasons. For starters, Maine isn't really a place where there is a large population of animals that are poisonous to humans. Secondly, Maine IS in fact home to a wide array of different species that people from all over the country come for a chance to see.

But what about birds? I mean people really love their birds, don't they? Well, I recently learned about Maine's fastest bird. And what's even crazier is that this particular bird is also the fastest in the entire world. Yup, this crazy creature can reach speeds that top a whopping 200 miles per hour. But, which bird is it?

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According to information from the Maine Audubon website, the fastest bird in Maine (and the world) is the super-speedy Peregrine Falcon.

It’s no shocker that the peregrine falcon isn’t just Maine’s fastest bird—it holds the record as the fastest animal on the planet. These favid hunters can reach over 200 miles per hour when diving for prey.

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Thanks to ongoing conservation efforts by groups like Maine Audubon, sightings of these impressive birds have become more common across the state. Peregrine falcons were completely wiped out from the eastern U.S. by the 1960s, largely because of the pesticide DDT.

However, their comeback story is pretty darn remarkable as they’re now nesting in spots all over Maine. You can find these quick birds nesting from the cliffs of Acadia National Park to the rooftops of downtown Portland.

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Arguably the best part about this bird is how diverse it's habitat is and how (in theory) easy it is to find one. Whether you're hiking through Baxter State Park or taking a walk down Commercial Street in Portland, you never know where you might bump into a Peregrine Falcon.