Swifts are among the fastest birds in the world and can hit speeds in excess of 100 kilometres an hour. However, that pales to insignificance when compared to a most likely contender: the Brazilian free-tailed bat. This tiny creature has been clocked at an astonishing 160 km per hour! Researchers attribute the bats’ incredible speeds to an aerodynamic body, extra-long wings and lightweight bones. Such a top speed was scientifically verified, which is a new record for any animal in horizontal flight.