Flying Fish
What is flying fish?
Key facts
A flying fish is a ray-finned marine fish in the family Exocoetidae that leaps from the water and glides using enlarged, winglike fins. It does not truly fly, but can glide up to 650 feet (200 meters) in warm ocean waters worldwide.
Context
Flying fish are ray-finned marine fish in the family Exocoetidae, found in warm ocean waters worldwide [2]. They are known for their ability to leap out of the water and glide over the surface using enlarged, winglike fins, but they do not truly fly [1]. They can reach lengths of about 45 cm (18 inches) and glide distances of up to 650 feet (200 meters) [3][1]. Their gliding is primarily an escape mechanism from predators [4].
Documented claims
- Flying fish are not capable of powered flight; they glide instead. [1]
- They use their enlarged pectoral fins for gliding, holding them flat against their sides when swimming. [1]
- They leap out of the water at speeds exceeding 35 miles per hour (56 kilometers per hour). [1]
- Their gliding behavior is used to escape predators. [4]
Questions and answers
Are there flying fish in Canada?
Flying fish live in warm ocean waters worldwide, so they are not typically found in the cold waters around Canada [2].
How fast can flying fish fly?
Flying fish can propel themselves out of the water at speeds of more than 35 miles per hour (56 kilometers per hour) [1].
Do flying fish really fly?
No, flying fish do not truly fly; they glide through the air using their enlarged fins, without powered flight [1].
Sources
- flying fish — kids.britannica.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
- Flying Fish - Marine Science Institute. The University of Texas at Austin. — utmsi.utexas.edu (retrieved August 3, 2026)
- Flying Fish: Missiles of the Sea — lucec.loyno.edu (retrieved August 3, 2026)
- Flying Fish — nationalgeographic.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)