Fastest duck in flight

The world's fastest-flying species of duck is the red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator). Native to freshwater rivers and lakes across Europe, Asia, North America and Greenland, its maximum recorded level flying speed is 130 kilometres per hour (81 miles per hour). Four specimens timed by radar also reached a maximum speed of 43.2 metres per second (155.5 kilometres per hour; 96.6 miles per hour) over a 10-second gliding dive.

The Guinness Book of Records was founded after the Managing Director of the Guinness Brewery, Sir Hugh Beaver, posed the question: "What's the fastest game bird in Europe?" Although the books never did tackle this original question - owing to their focus purely on world records - the red-breasted merganser would be the most likely answer; it is fully migratory and still occasionally hunted.