List of birds

Bird taxonomy
Neornithes 
 Paleognathae 

Struthioniformes



Rheiformes


Tinamiformes



Casuariiformes


Apterygiformes




 Neognathae 

Neoaves

 Galloanserae 

Anseriformes


Galliformes




Neoaves 
 Mirandornithes 

Podicipediformes


Phoenicopteriformes



Phaethontiformes


Pteroclidiformes


Mesitornithiformes


Columbiformes


Eurypygiformes

 Cypselomorphae 

Caprimulgiformes



Apodiformes


Aegotheliformes




Opisthocomiformes



Gruiformes


Cuculiformes


Musophagiformes


Aequornithes




Charadriiformes


"Higher Landbirds"



Aequornithes 

Gaviiformes




Sphenisciformes


Procellariiformes




Ciconiiformes



Suliformes


Pelecaniformes





"Higher Landbirds" 

Accipitriformes


Strigiformes


Coliiformes



Leptosomatiformes


Trogoniformes

 Picocoraciae 

Bucerotiformes



Coraciiformes


Piciformes





Cariamiformes



Falconiformes

 Psittacopasserae 

Psittaciformes


Passeriformes




A phylogenetic tree of the modern bird orders, based on recent studies.[1][2][3] Note the polytomies.
This is a list relating to extant species of birds. For a list of birds in history and fiction, see List of historical and fictional birds. For extinct birds, please see List of extinct birds, Prehistoric birds and Fossil birds.

This page lists living orders and families of 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.

Contents

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 superorders.

Struthioniformes

Africa and Australasia; 2 species.

Rheiformes

South America; 2 species.

Tinamiformes

South America; 45 species.

Casuariiformes

Australasia; 4 species.

Apterygiformes

Australasia; 5 species.

Neognathae

Nearly all living birds belong to the superorder of Neognathae or "new jaws". With their keels, unlike the ratites, they are known as carinatae. The passerines alone account for well over 5000 species.

Anseriformes

Worldwide; 150 species.

Galliformes

Worldwide; 250 species.

Podicipediformes

Worldwide; 19 species; sometimes grouped with Phoenicopteriformes.

Phoenicopteriformes

Worldwide; 6 species.

Mesitornithiformes

Madagascar, Neotropics, New Caledonia; 5 species.

Pteroclidiformes

Africa, Europe, Asia; 16 species; sometimes grouped with Columbiformes.

Columbiformes

Worldwide; 300 species.

Phaethontiformes

Oceanic; 3 species.

Caprimulgiformes

Worldwide; 90 species.

Apodiformes

Worldwide; 400 species.

Aegotheliformes

Oceania; 10 species; sometimes grouped with Apodiformes.

Cuculiformes

Worldwide; 126 species.

Opisthocomiformes

South America; 1 species.

Musophagiformes

Africa; 23 species.

Gruiformes

Worldwide; 191 species.

Gaviiformes

North America, Eurasia; 5 species.

Sphenisciformes

Antarctic and southern waters; 17 species.

Procellariiformes

Pan-oceanic; 120 species.

Ciconiiformes

Worldwide; 19 species.

Pelecaniformes

Worldwide; 108 species.

Suliformes

Worldwide; 59 species.

Charadriiformes

Worldwide; 350 species

Accipitriformes

Worldwide; 200 species.

Strigiformes

Worldwide; 130 species.

Coliiformes

Sub-Saharan Africa; 6 species.

Trogoniformes

Sub-Saharan Africa, Americas, Asia; 35 species.

Coraciiformes

Worldwide; 144 species.

Bucerotiformes

Old World, New Guinea; 64 species.

Leptosomatiformes

Madagascar; 1 species.

Piciformes

Worldwide except Australasia; 400 species.

Falconiformes

Worldwide; 60 species.

Cariamiformes

South America; 2 species.

Psittaciformes

Pan-tropical, southern temperate zones; 330 species.

Passeriformes

Worldwide; 5000 species.

See also

For regions smaller than continents see:

References

  1. ^ A Phylogenomic Study of Birds Reveals Their Evolutionary History. Shannon J. Hackett, et al. Science 320, 1763 (2008).
  2. ^ Metaves, Mirandornithes, Strisores and other novelties – a critical review of the higher-level phylogeny of neornithine birds. Gerald Mayr. J Zool Syst Evol Res (2010).
  3. ^ Alexander Suh et al. (2011-08-23). "Mesozoic retroposons reveal parrots as the closest living relatives of passerine birds". Nature Communications 2 (8). doi:10.1038/ncomms1448. http://www.nature.com/ncomms/journal/v2/n8/full/ncomms1448.html. 
Birds (class: Aves)
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Subclass: Neornithes
(29 orders of modern birds)
Superorder: Palaeognathae
Superorder: Neognathae
Accipitriformes • Anseriformes (waterfowl) • Apodiformes (swifts and hummingbirds) • Caprimulgiformes (nightjars and relatives) • Cariamiformes (seriemas and relatives) • Charadriiformes (gulls and relatives) • Ciconiiformes (storks) • Coliiformes (mousebirds) • Columbiformes (doves and pigeons) • Coraciiformes (kingfishers and relatives) • Cuculiformes (cuckoos and relatives) • Eurypygiformes (Kagu and Sunbitternl) • Falconiformes (falcons and relatives) • Galliformes (gamebirds) • Gaviiformes (loons or divers) • Gruiformes (cranes and relatives) • Passeriformes (perching birds) • Pelecaniformes (pelicans and relatives) • Phaethontiformes (tropicbirds) • Phoenicopteriformes (flamingos) • Piciformes (woodpeckers and relatives) • Podicipediformes (grebes) • Procellariiformes (albatrosses and petrels) • Psittaciformes (parrots) • Pteroclidiformes (sandgrouses) • Sphenisciformes (penguins) • Strigiformes (owls) • Trogoniformes (trogons and quetzals)
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