Brad Walker, age 9, of Jackson, Miss., for his question:

HOW FAST DO BIRDS FLY?

How accurate can a bird's name be? The common swifts of Europe and Asia, which usually fly from between 60 and 70 miles per hour, can fly for short periods of time at more than 100 miles per hour.

Now that is swift.

Another very fast bird is the canvas back duck. This swifty has been clocked at more than 70 miles an hour.

On the ground, the fastest runner is the ostrich. This bird can run 35 mph, and can take it up to 50 mph for short distances.

The greatest traveler is the Arctic tern who migrates farther than any other bird. His yearly flights, between breeding grounds in the Arctic and wintering grounds in the Antarctic, cover about 11,000 miles each way.