From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids
This page lists living orders and families of birds, class Aves (for extinct birds, please see Extinct birds and Prehistoric birds). The links below should then lead to family accounts and hence to individual species.
Taxonomy is very fluid in the age of DNA analysis, so comments are made where appropriate, and all numbers are approximate. In particular see Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy for a very different classification.
This article and the descendant family articles follow the taxonomy of the Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds (HANZAB) for families largely endemic to that region, and otherwise the Handbook of Birds of the World (HBW).
[edit] Paleognathae
The flightless and mostly giant Struthioniformes lack a keeled sternum and are collectively known as ratites. Together with the Tinamiformes, they form the Paleognathae (or 'old jaws'), one of the two evolutionary "super orders".
- Struthioniformes: mainly southern hemisphere; 12 species, 2 extinct
- Struthionidae: Ostrich
- Casuariidae: emus and cassowaries
- Apterygidae: kiwis
- Rheidae: rheas
- Tinamiformes: South America; 45 species
[edit] Neognathae
Nearly all living birds belong to the super order of Neognathae— or 'new jaws'. With their keels, unlike the ratites, they are known as carinates. The passerines alone account for well over 5000 species.
- Anseriformes: worldwide; ~150 species
- Anhimidae: screamers
- Anseranatidae: Magpie-goose
- Anatidae: swans, geese and ducks
- Galliformes: worldwide except northern Eurasia; ~250 species.
- Megapodidae: mound-builders
- Cracidae: chachalacas, guans and curassows
- Tetraonidae: grouse
- Phasianidae: partridges, pheasants, quail and allies
- Odontophoridae: New World quails
- Numididae: guineafowl
- Meleagrididae: turkeys
- Mesitornithidae: mesites
- Sphenisciformes: Antarctic and southern waters; 16 species
- Gaviiformes: North America, Eurasia; 5 species
- Podicipediformes: worldwide; 20 species
- Procellariiformes: pan-oceanic; ~100 species
- Diomedeidae: albatrosses
- Procellariidae: fulmars, prions, shearwaters, gadfly and other petrels
- Pelecanoididae: diving petrels
- Hydrobatidae: storm petrels
- Pelecaniformes: worldwide; ~50 species
- Pelecanidae: pelicans
- Sulidae: gannets and boobies
- Phalacrocoracidae: cormorants
- Fregatidae: frigatebirds
- Anhingidae: Anhinga and darters
- Phaethontidae: tropicbirds
- Ciconiiformes: all continents; >100 species.
- Ardeidae: herons and bitterns
- Cochlearidae: Boatbill
- Balaenicipitidae: Shoebill
- Scopidae: Hammerkop
- Ciconiidae: storks
- Threskiornithidae: ibises and spoonbills
- Phoenicopteridae flamingos
- Cathartidae: New World vultures and Condors, - sometimes placed in Falconiformes/Accipitriformes.
- Falconiformes worldwide; ~260 species. Sometimes all except the falcons are separated as Accipitriformes.
- Pandionidae: Osprey
- Accipitridae: hawks, eagles, buzzards and Old World vultures, harriers, kites, and allies
- Sagittaridae: Secretary Bird
- Falconidae: falcons
- Gruiformes: worldwide; ~200 species
- Gruidae: cranes
- Aramidae: Limpkin
- Psophiidae: trumpeters
- Rallidae: rails, crakes, coots and allies
- Heliornithidae: finfoots and Sungrebe
- Rhynochetidae: Kagu
- Eurypigidae: Sunbittern
- Cariamidae: seriemas
- Otidae: bustards
- Charadriiformes: worldwide; >300 species
- Scolopacidae: typical waders or shorebirds
- Rostratulidae: painted snipe
- Jacanidae: jacanas
- Thinocoridae: seedsnipe
- Pedionomidae: Plains Wanderer
- Laridae: gulls
- Rhynchopidae: skimmers
- Sternidae: terns
- Alcidae: auks
- Stercorariidae: skuas
- Glareolidae: coursers and pratincoles
- Dromadidae: Crab Plover
- Turnicidae: buttonquails
- Burhinidae: thick-knees
- Chionididae: sheathbills
- Pluvianellidae: Magellanic Plover
- Ibidorhynchidae: Ibisbill
- Recurvirostridae: avocets and stilts
- Haematopodidae: oystercatchers
- Charadriidae: plovers and lapwings
- Pterocliformes: Africa, Europe, Asia; 16 species
- Columbiformes: worldwide; ~300 species
- Raphidae: Dodo and Rodriguez Solitaire
- Columbidae: pigeons and doves
- Psittaciformes: pan-tropical, southern temperate zones; ~330 species
- Cuculiformes: worldwide; ~150 species
- Musophagidae: turacos and allies
- Cuculidae: cuckoos
- Opisthocomidae: Hoatzin
- Strigiformes: worldwide; >130 species
- Tytonidae: barn owls
- Strigidae: typical owls
- Caprimulgiformes: worldwide; ~100 species
- Steatornithidae: Oilbird
- Podargidae: frogmouths
- Nyctibiidae: potoos
- Aegothelidae: owlet-nightjars
- Caprimulgidae: nightjars
- Apodiformes: worldwide; >400 species
- Apodidae: swifts
- Hemiprocnidae: tree swifts
- Trochilidae: hummingbirds - sometimes separated as Trochiliformes
- Coliiformes: Sub-Saharan Africa; 6 species
- Trogoniformes: Sub-Saharan Africa, Americas, Asia; 35 species
- Trogonidae: trogons and quetzals
- Coraciiformes: worldwide; ~200 species
- Alcedinidae: river kingfishers
- Halcyonidae: tree kingfishers
- Cerylidae: water or belted kingfishers
- Todidae: todies
- Momotidae: motmots
- Meropidae: bee-eaters
- Leptosomatidae: Cuckoo Roller
- Brachypteraciidae: ground rollers
- Coraciidae: rollers
- Upupidae: Hoopoe
- Phoeniculidae: woodhoopoes
- Bucerotidae: hornbills
- Piciformes: worldwide except Australasia; ~400 species
- Galbulidae: jacamars
- Bucconidae: puffbirds
- Capitonidae: barbets
- Indicatoridae: honeyguides
- Ramphastidae: toucans
- Picidae: woodpeckers
- Passeriformes: worldwide; >>5000 species
- Suborder Tyranni ("suboscines")
- Tyrannidae: tyrant flycatchers
- Acanthisittidae: New Zealand wrens
- Pittidae: pittas
- Furnariidae: ovenbirds
- Thamnophilidae: antbirds
- Formicariidae: antpittas and antthrushes
- Conopophagidae: gnateaters
- Rhinocryptidae: tapaculos
- Cotingidae: cotingas
- Pipridae: manakins
- Philepittidae: asities
- Suborder Passeri ("oscines")
- Atrichornithidae: scrub-birds
- Menuridae: lyrebirds
- Turnagridae: Piopio
- Alaudidae: larks
- Hirundinidae: swallows
- Motacillidae: wagtails and pipits
- Campephagidae: cuckoo-shrikes
- Pycnonotidae: bulbuls
- Regulidae: kinglets
- Chloropseidae: leafbirds
- Aegithinidae: ioras
- Ptilogonatidae: silky-flycatchers
- Bombycillidae: waxwings
- Hypocoliidae: hypocolius
- Dulidae: Palmchat
- Cinclidae: dippers
- Troglodytidae: wrens
- Mimidae: mockingbirds, thrashers and Gray Catbird
- Prunellidae: accentors
- Turdidae: thrushes and allies
- Cisticolidae: cisticolas and allies
- Sylviidae: Old World warblers
- Polioptilidae: gnatcatchers
- Muscicapidae: Old World flycatchers
- Platysteiridae: wattle-eyes
- Petroicidae: Australasian robins
- Pachycephalidae: whistlers and allies
- Picathartidae: rockfowl
- Timaliidae: babblers
- Pomatostomidae: pseudo-babblers
- Paradoxornithidae: parrotbills
- Orthonychidae: logrunner and chowchilla
- Cinclosomatidae: whipbirds and quail-thrushes
- Aegithalidae: long-tailed tits
- Maluridae: fairy-wrens, emu-wrens and grasswrens
- Neosittidae: sitellas
- Climacteridae: Australasian treecreepers
- Paridae: chickadees and tits
- Sittidae: nuthatches
- Tichodromidae: Wallcreeper
- Certhiidae: treecreepers
- Rhabdornithidae: Philippine creepers
- Remizidae: penduline tits
- Nectariniidae: sunbirds and spiderhunters
- Melanocharitidae: berrypeckers and longbills
- Paramythiidae: tit berrypecker and crested berrypeckers
- Dicaeidae: flowerpeckers
- Pardalotidae: pardalotes, thornbills and alies
- Zosteropidae: white-eyes
- Promeropidae: sugarbirds
- Meliphagidae: honeyeaters and chats
- Oriolidae: Old World orioles
- Irenidae: fairy-bluebirds
- Laniidae: shrikes
- Malaconotidae: bushshrikes and allies
- Prionopidae: helmetshrikes
- Vangidae: vangas
- Dicruridae: drongos
- Callaeidae: wattlebirds
- Corcoracidae: White-winged Chough and Apostlebird
- Artamidae: currawongs, woodswallows, butcherbirds & allies
- Pityriaseidae: bristlehead
- Paradisaeidae: birds-of-paradise
- Ptilonorhynchidae: bowerbirds
- Corvidae: crows, jays and magpies
- Sturnidae: starlings
- Passeridae: Old World sparrows
- Ploceidae: weavers and allies
- Estrildidae: waxbills and allies
- Viduidae: indigobirds
- Vireonidae: vireos and allies
- Fringillidae: finches, crossbills and allies
- Drepanididae: Hawaiian honeycreepers
- Peucedramidae: Olive Warbler
- Parulidae: New World warblers
- Coerebidae: Bananaquit
- Thraupidae: tanagers and allies
- Emberizidae: buntings, seedeaters and allies
- Cardinalidae: saltators, cardinals and allies
- Icteridae: troupials and allies
[edit] See also
- List of African birds
- List of Asian birds
- List of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic birds
- List of Australian birds
- List of European birds
- List of North American birds
- Extinct birds
- Prehistoric birds
For regions smaller than continents see: