Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Aves
(1) Paleognathae – One of Two Super Orders (the other is the Neognathae) of birds united through a unique configuration of bones in the nasal passages. Is comprised of the following
Struthioniformes
Struthionidae – Ostrich
Rheidae – Rheas
Casuariidae – Emu and Cassowaries
Apterygidae – Kiwis
Tinamiformes – Tinamous
The first four are also called ratites and are distinguished from the Tinamous by the latter’s ability to fly.
(2) Convergent foot-propelled divers feature webbed feet or toes and legs positioned well back on the body
Podicipediformes (Podicipedidae) - Grebes
Gaviiformes (Gaviidae) - Loons
(3) Filter feeders:
Phoenicopteriformes – Flamingos – tongue accommodated in upper jaw
Anseriformes – Ducks, geese, swans (= Anatidae) and allies - tongue accommodated in lower jaw
(4) Long-legged waders:
Pelecaniformes – Pelicans (Pelecanidae), cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae), boobies and gannets (Sulidae) and allies (3 additional families). All are web-footed, fish/squid eating seabirds featuring gular pouches.
Ardeidae is the most common family compose of herons, egrets, and bitterns
Ciconiiformes – Storks and new world vultures
Gruiformes – Cranes (Gruidae), Rails (Rallidae) and allies (9 additional families) comprise diverse order of birds with few unifying characters.
The Rallidae are particularly know for their tendency to become flightless.
(5) Birds of Prey comprise two orders: Falconiformes (diurnal raptors) and Stigiformes (owls).
Common families with the Falconiformes are:
Catharidae – New world vultures
Accipitridae – hawks, eagles, kites, old world vultures
Falconidae – true falcons
Whereas Strigidae (typical owls) and Tytonidae (barn owls) make up the two families of owls
(6) Caprimulgiformes (Camprimulidae, the only North American family) compromises the nocturnal aerial insectivores, such as whip-poor-wills and nighthawks, that are most closely related to owl.
(7) Several other well known and diverse Orders of land birds include:
Columbiformes (Colmbidae, includes all species but the Dodo and relatives) includes doves and pigeons
Psittaciformes – Parrots, cockatoos, lorikeets – behaviorally and socially convergent in many ways with primates.
Galliformes – fowl-like birds (of which pheasants, grouse, turkeys, and old world quail comprise the Phasianidae)
(8) Specialized, non-diverse Orders of landbirds include diverse specializations of the foot (Trogons, mousebirds), pigments (turacos) or lack feather tracks (i.e., apteria – mousebirds).
Coliiformes – Mousebirds
Musophagiformes - Turacos
Trogoniformes – Trogons
(9) Apodiformes – includes another group of aerial insectivores, Apodidae (Swifts) that seldom land, and Trochilidae (hummingbirds) that have specialized shoulder joints making them the only order that can truly hover and fly backwards.
(10) Cuculiformes (Cuculidae) are the cuckoos that among other things are common brood parasites that do not build nests or exhibit any parental care – rather they lay their eggs in the nests of other species.
(11) Coraciiformes and Piciformes are diverse primitive land bird with large heads that are found primarily outside North America. Alcedinidae (kingfishers) and Picidae (woodpeckers) are families in each respective order that have an important presence in NA.
(12) Passeriformes are the most diverse orders of birds despite being the youngest order and the most uniform morphologically. It is divided into two sub-orders: Tyranni (suboscines) and Passeres (oscines or songbirds) that feature the greatest vocal complexity.
The only North American suboscines family is the Tyrannidae – Tyrannt flycthers
Numerous North American Songbird families include:
Corvidae – crows and jays
Vireonidae - Vireos
Laniidae - shrikes
Turdidae - thrushes
Mimidae – mockingbirds, thrashers
Paridae – tits and titmice
Hirunididae - swallows
Troglodytidae - wrens
Sittidae - nuthatches
Icteridae - blackbirds
Parulidae – new world warblers
Fringillidae - finches
Emberizidae - sparrows
Cardinalidae – cardinals and grosbeaks
Thraupidae – tanagers
(13) Seabirds comprise (in addition to the loons) the following 4 orders:
Charadriiformes – this diverse group of birds united via cranial features inclues;
Scolopacidae – sandpipers and Charadridae (lapwings and plovers) that both possess
rynchokinesis – a double hinge in the bill at the base and tip that allows them to
grasp prey w/o opening the whole bill
and the true seasbirds; Laridae (gulls and terns) and Alcidae (auks, puffins, murres)
Sphenisciformes – Penguins – So. Ocean wing-propelled divers
Procellariiformes – Tube-nosed birds that include albatrosses, shearwaters (Procellaridae) and
Petrels.
Pelecaniformes – Pelicans (Pelecanidae), cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae), boobies and gannets (Sulidae) and allies (3 additional families). All are web-footed, fish/squid eating seabirds featuring gular pouches.
PRACTICE TEST
(1) Tubed-nosed Seabirds comprised of the Order of:
(2) Sandpipers (Scolopacidae) and Charadriidae (Plovers) make up 2 major families of this
order: . Names the other two major families comprise the order: and .
(3) The Diurnal and Nocturnal raptors comprise 2 separate orders: and
, respectively.
(4) Name the family of birds and the order it belongs to that shows the greatest propensity to become flightless. Order: Family:
(5) Match the following family names with the passerine groups:
Swallows Icteridae
Crows and Jays Parulidae
Warblers Hirunididae
Sparrows Corvidae
Blackbirds Emberizidae
(6) Woodpeckers are the only North American representation of this order:
(7) This order is the only group of Paleoganathae that can fly:
(8) Give the respective family or order to match that given:
Anatidae:
Ardeidae:
Pigeons and Doves:
Nightjats and allies:
Parrots:
Tyranni:
Answers: (1) Procelasiiformes; (2) Charadriiformes, Alcidae, Laridae; (3) Falconiformes, Srigiformes; (4) Gruiformes, Rallidae; (5) swallow-Hirunididae, crows-Corvidae, warblers-Parulidae, sparrows-Emberizidae, blackbirds-Icteridae; (6) Piciformes; (7) Tinamiformes; (8) Anseriformes, Ciconiiformes, Columbiformes, Camprimulgiformes, Psittaciformes, Passeriformes