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In 1973, an airliner struck a bird called a Rüppell's griffon vulture – which, on its own, isn't that weird; planes hit birds pretty regularly during takeoffs and landings. But this collision happened at a cruising height of over 11,000 meters – WAY above the height at which most birds fly – which makes us wonder: what is the highest a bird can actually fly?

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Cameron Duke | Script Writer, Narrator and Director

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REFERENCES

Special thanks to Dr. Maria Stager and Dr. Bret Tobalkse

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