7 highest flying birds in the world

All birds fly high in the sky, soaring to new heights in search of a home and food. However, while some are always visible to us-- like pigeons and crows-- others do not even catch the human eye as they fly way above normal heights. Find out some of the highest flying birds in the world.Image credits: Canva

​Mostly found in the Sahel regions of central Africa, Ruppell's Griffon Vulture fly at a shocking height of 37,000 feet. They mainly migrate for food and a favourable climate and fly towards the north in the spring to breed in the Arctic summer and return in the autumn to cold grounds in the warmer regions to the south.

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Common Crane, also known as the Eurasian Crane is commonly found in the Northern parts of Europe and Asia. These grey and white migratory birds fly at an altitude of 33,000 feet in the sky. They migrate from Northern Europe, make a stop at Lac du Der in the fall and then head south towards the winter grounds in Spain and northern Africa.Image credits: Getty Images

Did you know that the world's third-highest-flying bird can be found in India? Yes, the Bar-headed goose, which can be found in areas like the Gharana wetlands in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and Tamil Nadu, can fly up to an altitude of 27,825 feet.

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Those beautiful swans you see with white, pristine feathered wings that make them look like regal queens? Whooper swans are found mostly in the wetlands of Europe and Asia. These orange and black-beaked beauties can fly up to an altitude of 27,000 feet.Image credits: Getty Images

Alpine Choughs look like they were created with a lot of time and detail by the gods. These red-beaked beauties also have red legs that stand out against their black feathers. Mostly seen in the higher mountainous regions of Europe, northern Africa and Asia, these sparkling birds usually spread their wings up to 26,500 feet.Image credits: Getty Images

With a part of its beak surrounded by beard-like hair, the Bearded Vulture is one of the highest-flying birds in the world. These hunting birds fly as high as 24,000 feet and are spotted in the hilly regions of Asia, Africa and Europe.Image credits: Getty Images

If nature's artistry needed an image, it would be that of an Andean Condor. With beautiful clashes of white and black all over their body, these birds found in the South American Andes Mountains can fly up to a height of 21,300 feet. Additionally, what's also interesting to know is that these birds can fly for almost 100 miles without flapping their wings. As per a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, an Andean Condor weighs 15 kg, the heaviest for a soaring bird and only flaps its wings 1% of the time in flight.

Image credits: Getty Images