You can start at 1/250th of a second for static wildlife photography.
So what are the best shutter speeds for wildlife photography? You can start at 1/250th of a second for static wildlife photography. Moving animals may require 1/500s or faster. For quick-moving wildlife, like running or swimming animals, choose a shutter speed of 1/1000s or higher. We tend to choose between 1/1000s to 1/2500s for whales and dolphins. Fast moving birds can require a higher shutter speed of 1/2000s to 1/4000s depending on the situation.