Birds classification

This page lists living orders and families of birds, class Aves. 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).

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
  • Tinamidae: tinamous

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; 256 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
  • Spheniscidae: penguins
• Gaviiformes: North America, Eurasia; 5 species
  • Gaviidae loons or divers
• Podicipediformes: worldwide; 20 species
  • Podicipedidae: grebes
• Procellariiformes: pan-oceanic; 93 species
  
  • Diomedeidae: albatrosses
    Procellariidae: fulmars, prions, shearwaters, gadfly and other petrels
    Pelecanoididae: diving petrels
    Hydrobatidae: storm petrels
• Pelecaniformes: worldwide; 57 species
  
  • Pelecanidae: pelicans
    Sulidae: gannets and boobies
    Phalacrocoracidae: cormorants
    Fregatidae: frigatebirds
    Anhingidae: Anhinga and darters
    Phaethontidae: tropicbirds
• Ciconiiformes: all continents; 115 species.
  
  • Ardeidae: herons and bitterns
    Cochlearidae: Boatbill
    Balaenicipitidae: Shoebill
    Scopidae: Hammerkop
    Ciconiidae: storks
    Threskiornithidae: ibises and spoonbills
    Phoenicopteridae flamingos
• Accipitriformes: worldwide; about 226 species. Some classifications also include the Falconidae.
  
  • Cathartidae: New World vultures and Condors
    Pandionidae: Osprey
    Accipitridae: hawks, eagles, buzzards and Old World vultures, harriers, kites, and allies
    Sagittaridae: Secretary Bird
• Falconiformes: worldwide; 60 species. Sometimes included in the Accipitriformes.
  • Falconidae: falcons
• Turniciformes: Old World, 15 species
  • Turnicidae: buttonquail
• Gruiformes: worldwide; 196 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; 305 species
  
  • Jacanidae: jacanas
    Rostratulidae: painted snipe
    Haematopodidae: oystercatchers
    Charadriidae: plovers
    Pluvianellidae: Magellanic Plover
    Ibidorhynchidae: Ibisbill
    Recurvirostridae: avocets and stilts
    Scolopacidae: typical waders or shorebirds
    Dromadidae: Crab Plover
    Burhinidae: thick-knees
    Glareolidae: coursers and pratincoles
    Thinocoridae: seedsnipe
    Pedionomidae: Plains Wanderer
    Chionididae: sheathbill
    Stercorariidae: skuas
    Laridae: gulls
    Sternidae: terns
    Rhynchopidae: skimmers
    Alcidae: auks
• Pterocliformes: Africa, Europe, Asia; 16 species
  • Pteroclidae: sandgrouse
• Columbiformes: worldwide; 300 species
  
  • Raphidae: dodos
    Columbidae: pigeons and doves
• Psittaciformes: pan-tropical, southern temperate zones; 330 species
  
  • Cacatuidae: cockatoos
    Psittacidae: parrots
• Cuculiformes: worldwide; 151 species
  
  • Musophagidae: turacos and allies
    Cuculidae: cuckoos
    Opisthocomidae: Hoatzin
• Strigiformes: worldwide; 134 species
  
  • Tytonidae: barn owls
    Strigidae: typical owls
• Caprimulgiformes: worldwide; 96 species
  
  • Steatornithidae: Oilbird
    Podargidae: frogmouths
    Nyctibiidae: potoos
    Aegothelidae: owlet-nightjars
    Caprimulgidae: nightjars
• Apodiformes: worldwide; 403 species
  
  • Apodidae: swifts
    Hemiprocnidae: tree swifts
• Trochiliformes
  • Trochilidae: hummingbirds
• Coliiformes: Sub-Saharan Africa; 6 species
  • Coliidae: mousebirds
• Trogoniformes: Sub-Saharan Africa, Americas, Asia; 35 species
  • Trogonidae: trogons and quetzals
• Coraciiformes: worldwide; 192 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; 376 species
  
  • Galbulidae: jacamars
    Bucconidae: puffbirds
    Capitonidae: barbets
    Indicatoridae: honeyguides
    Ramphastidae: toucans
    Picidae: woodpeckers
• Passeriformes: worldwide; about 5200 species
  
  • Suborder Tyranni ("suboscines")
  • Tyrannidae: tyrant flycatchers
    Acanthisittidae: New Zealand wrens
    Pittidae: pittas
    Eurylaimidae: broadbills
    Dendrocolaptidae: woodcreepers
    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

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

Video: Bird Classification (Order) (The Bird classification from Ratites to Passerines)