# What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 17, 2002, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-airspeed-velocity-of-an-unladen-swallow/104230 "2002-04-17T23:53:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mindless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mindless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mindless)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-airspeed-velocity-of-an-unladen-swallow/104230/21 "2002-04-19T00:12:24Z")
Arrgghh, he said it! Arrgghh, now I said it! Arrgghh, I said it again! ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-airspeed-velocity-of-an-unladen-swallow/104230/22 "2002-04-19T00:16:51Z")
Silly, silly question. I fart in your general direction. ---
**Author:** ![abel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@abel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abel)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-airspeed-velocity-of-an-unladen-swallow/104230/23 "2002-04-19T00:22:30Z")
I’m laughing myself silly every time I open this thread… Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries. (You electric donkey bottom biter) ---
**Author:** ![KinSaba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7bcc69/32.png) [@KinSaba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinSaba)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-airspeed-velocity-of-an-unladen-swallow/104230/24 "2002-04-19T00:27:52Z")
No go away, or I will taunt you a second time-a! ---
**Author:** ![KinSaba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7bcc69/32.png) [@KinSaba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinSaba)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-airspeed-velocity-of-an-unladen-swallow/104230/25 "2002-04-19T00:29:37Z")
So, ummm … That should be now go away … ---
**Author:** ![Jet\_Jaguar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jet_jaguar/32/3562_2.png) [@Jet\_Jaguar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jet_Jaguar)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-airspeed-velocity-of-an-unladen-swallow/104230/26 "2002-04-19T03:23:11Z")
Seriously, [This site](http://home.att.net/~chmilnir/swallow/index.html) used to have the kind of hard numbers you’re looking for. First of all, there are 74 species of swallows, but none actually called “African Swallow” or “European Swallow”. The site had numbers for the Barn Swallow, Tree Swallow, and Purple Martin. Airspeed was determined for an average adult of the nominate subspecies (if applicable) in good health under standard sea-level conditions, and loads ranging from unladen to a 1-pound (0.45 kg) coconut. For the purposes of the calculations, it was assumed that the birds have sufficient power to lift the loads indicated. For a Barn Swallow, minimum airspeed velocity is 8.77 mph unladen, 43.8 mph with a 1-lb coconut. A Tree Swallow flies at 9.27 mph unladen, 45.2 mph with a 1-lb coconut. A Purple Martin flies at 12.2 mph unladen, 37.1 mph with a 1-lb coconut. Keep in mind that these are minimum flight velocities - the slowest it could fly and remain airborne. The site didn’t determine if a swallow is able to lift a 1-lb coconut, but if it were, that’s at least how fast it would have to fly to stay in the air. (To tell you the truth, I don’t think they’re strong enough.) Nor did the site address the question of why a swallow would be carrying a coconut in the first place, as they are insectivores and would gain no benefit in hauling one around. ---
**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-airspeed-velocity-of-an-unladen-swallow/104230/27 "2002-04-19T08:13:23Z")
On second thought, let’s not post an answer. 'Tis a silly thread. ---
**Author:** ![mindless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mindless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mindless)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-airspeed-velocity-of-an-unladen-swallow/104230/28 "2002-04-19T11:31:59Z")
NI! ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2002, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-airspeed-velocity-of-an-unladen-swallow/104230/29 "2002-04-20T03:19:22Z")
And now for the companion thread, “What is the capital of Assyria?” ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2002, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-airspeed-velocity-of-an-unladen-swallow/104230/30 "2002-04-20T04:00:47Z")
Time now for a tree. The Larch. The Larch. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2002, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-airspeed-velocity-of-an-unladen-swallow/104230/31 "2002-04-20T04:37:49Z")
Since the question has been answered, I’ll close this thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-airspeed-velocity-of-an-unladen-swallow/104230.md?page=1)