Ornithology
Dr. Tim O’Connell
NREM/ZOOL 4464
Spring 2013
A Classification of Birds of the World – Laboratory Investigations
We begin this week in Lab to really explore the diversity of birds through in-depth examination of orders
and families. Avian classification is fluid: the ordering and alliance of families and orders differs according
to different authorities and new information is continually becoming available that enhances our ability to
discern relationships; this results in updated classifications. You are embarking on this voyage during a
time of significant taxonomic revision, and much of what you will learn in Lab supersedes classification
systems in your field guides.
For our purposes, taxonomy follows:
Clements, J. F. 2007. The Clements checklist of birds of the world. (6th ed). Cornell University Press,
Ithaca, NY.
This reference work is available online (http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist) as a massive
spreadsheet listing every species of bird in the world by common name, scientific name, family, and
order. For perspective, it's an Excel spreadsheet that's over 6 mb. (A summary table that includes just
the orders and families you need to know for the course is attached).
As students of Ornithology, a primary objective for you is to develop a working knowledge of the diversity
of birds of the world. As you internalize this information, you will develop a deep appreciation for the
central role that evolution plays as the driver of biological diversity.
Now comes the fun part – what you are required to know.
There are 34 orders within the class Aves. You are required to learn 31.
There are 223 families in those orders. You are required to learn 106 of them.
At a minimum, you should concentrate on the following for each family and order:
*characteristics (any) that distinguish it from other orders and families
*unique/characteristic morphology, behavior, or physiology
*approximate number of species
*primary habitat and foods
*life history re: nesting habits, migratory behavior, etc.
*biogeography and distribution
Higher order classification
Recall that all taxonomic categories above the species are arbitrarily defined (and “species” is subject to
multiple definitions too). Thus, it can be especially confusing to determine what is really a “class”
“infraclass,” “subclass”, “superorder”, etc. For example, we learned that birds evolved from dinosaurs.
“Dinosauria” is (according to at least one authority) a superorder within an infraclass within a subclass
within a class within a series – whatever a series is – of reptiles.
For our purposes, we will treat birds traditionally and simply as the Class Aves within the Subphylum
Vertebrata of the Phylum Chordata. There are splits within the Aves that occur at higher than order
levels; we’ll refer to them generically as “groups” or “clades.”
1 The Aves first appear in the Jurassic Period of the Mesozoic Era, about 150–200 million years ago.
Archaeopteryx lithographica is still the earliest known bird (as early as 150 MYA), but it is not regarded as
the primary ancestor of modern birds.
The cladogram above illustrates several important splits among early birds. Birds diversified in the
Cretaceous Period, and several fossil specimens are described within the family Confusiusornithidae, the
group Enantiornithes, and the loonlike Hesperornithoformes. All modern birds are part of the Neornithes.
If we consider the Neornithes to be a subclass within Aves, then we can identify two superorders within
that subclass that contain all living birds: Palaeognathae and Neognathae. These superorders are defined
by differences in the arrangement and development of the bones that make up the palate in the roof of
the mouth: In the more ancestral Palaeognathes, the bones are more robust and rigid. In the
Neognathes, the bones are more gracile, and actually form a flexible joint within the palate.
So the “ratites”, those weird mostly flightless birds that lack a strong keel on the sternum, are an ancient
group that includes two orders – the ostrich-like birds (order Struthioniformes) and the tinamous (order
Tinamiformes). The big way they differ from all other birds is not their tiny keel, however, it’s the structure
of their palates.
2 Among the superorder Neognathes, the next big split occurs between the chickens and ducks (orders
Galliformes and Anseriformes grouped together as the “Galloanserae”) and everything else, the Neoaves.
By far, most living birds are classified in the orders and families of the Neoaves. The following cladogram
of the Neoaves illustrates the taxonomic affinities (inferred time since divergence of orders and families)
based on comparative anatomy, life history, fossil information, and increasingly, molecular studies using
DNA-DNA hybridization and other techniques to identify genetic divergence.
The information in this cladogram suggests, for example, that grebes and flamingos share recent
common ancestry, but grebes and loons are widely divergent. Note that there are two items on the left
side that say ‘Land Birds’ and ‘Water Birds’, respectively. The right side cladograms break out those two
large groups simply to make the figure easier to read.
3 Here is a table of your required orders and families. Species marked with an asterisk are non-native but
established in North America. Again, taxonomy follows Clements (2007).
Order
Struthioniformes
Struthioniformes
Struthioniformes
Tinamiformes
Anseriformes
Galliformes
Galliformes
Galliformes
Galliformes
Gaviiformes
Podicipediformes
Phoenicopteriformes
Sphenisciformes
Procellariiformes
Procellariiformes
Procellariiformes
Phaethontiformes
Ciconiiformes
Suliformes
Suliformes
Suliformes
Suliformes
Pelecaniformes
Pelecaniformes
Pelecaniformes
Accipitriformes
Accipitriformes
Accipitriformes
Falconiformes
Gruiformes
Gruiformes
Gruiformes
Eurypygiformes
Otidiformes
Cariamiformes
Family
Rheidae (Rheas)
Casuariidae (Cassowaries)
Apterygidae (Kiwis)
Tinamidae (Tinamous)
Anatidae (Ducks, Geese, and
Waterfowl)
Megapodiidae (Megapodes)
Cracidae (Guans, Chachalacas,
and Curassows)
Odontophoridae (New World
Quail)
Phasianidae (Pheasants, Grouse,
and Allies)
Gaviidae (Loons)
Podicipedidae (Grebes)
Phoenicopteridae (Flamingos)
Spheniscidae (Penguins)
Diomedeidae (Albatrosses)
Procellariidae (Shearwaters and
Petrels)
Hydrobatidae (Storm-Petrels)
Phaethontidae (Tropicbirds)
Ciconiidae (Storks)
Fregatidae (Frigatebirds)
Sulidae (Boobies and Gannets)
Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants
and Shags)
Anhingidae (Anhingas)
Pelecanidae (Pelicans)
Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, and
Bitterns)
Threskiornithidae (Ibises and
Spoonbills)
Cathartidae (New World Vultures)
Pandionidae (Osprey)
Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and
Kites)
Falconidae (Falcons and
Caracaras)
Rallidae (Rails, Gallinules, and
Coots)
Aramidae (Limpkin)
Gruidae (Cranes)
Eurypygidae (Sunbittern)
Otididae (Bustards)
Cariamidae (Seriemas)
North American example
none
none
none
none
Greater Scaup
none
Plain Chachalaca
Northern Bobwhite
Lesser Prairie-Chicken
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Greater Flamingo
none
Black-footed Albatross
Audubon's Shearwater
Wilson's Storm-Petrel
White-tailed Tropicbird
Wood Stork
Magnificent Frigatebird
Northern Gannet
Double-crested Cormorant
Anhinga
American White Pelican
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
White-faced Ibis
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
American Coot
Limpkin
Sandhill Crane
none
none
none
4 Order
Charadriiformes
Charadriiformes
Charadriiformes
Charadriiformes
Charadriiformes
Charadriiformes
Charadriiformes
Charadriiformes
Pterocliformes
Columbiformes
Psittaciformes
Cuculiformes
Cuculiformes
Cuculiformes
Strigiformes
Strigiformes
Caprimulgiformes
Caprimulgiformes
Apodiformes
Apodiformes
Trogoniformes
Coraciiformes
Coraciiformes
Coraciiformes
Coraciiformes
Piciformes
Piciformes
Piciformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Family
Charadriidae (Plovers and
Lapwings)
Haematopodidae (Oystercatchers)
Recurvirostridae (Stilts and
Avocets)
Jacanidae (Jacanas)
Scolopacidae (Sandpipers and
Allies)
Laridae (Gulls, Terns, and
Skimmers)
Stercorariidae (Skuas and
Jaegers)
Alcidae (Auks, Murres, and
Puffins)
Pteroclidae (Sandgrouse)
Columbidae (Pigeons and Doves)
Psittacidae (Parrots)
Musophagidae (Turacos)
Opisthocomidae (Hoatzin)
Cuculidae (Cuckoos)
Tytonidae (Barn-Owls)
Strigidae (Owls)
Caprimulgidae (Nightjars and
allies)
Steatornithidae (Oilbird)
Apodidae (Swifts)
Trochilidae (Hummingbirds)
Trogonidae (Trogons)
Momotidae (Motmots)
Alcedinidae (Kingfishers)
Upupidae (Hoopoes)
Bucerotidae (Hornbills)
Ramphastidae (Toucans)
Indicatoridae (Honeyguides)
Picidae (Woodpeckers)
Pittidae (Pittas)
Furnariidae (Ovenbirds and
Woodcreepers)
Thamnophilidae (Typical Antbirds)
Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)
Cotingidae (Cotingas)
Menuridae (Lyrebirds)
Laniidae (Shrikes)
Vireonidae (Vireos)
Dicruridae (Drongos)
Corvidae (Crows, Jays, and
Magpies)
Paradisaeidae (Birds-of-paradise)
Alaudidae (Larks)
Hirundinidae (Swallows)
North American example
Killdeer
American Oystercatcher
American Avocet
none
American Woodcock
Ring-billed Gull
Great Skua
Atlantic Puffin
none
Mourning Dove
Monk Parakeet*
none
none
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Barn Owl
Eastern Screech-Owl
Common Nighthawk
none
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
none
none
Belted Kingfisher
none
none
none
none
Red-bellied Woodpecker
none
none
none
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
none
none
Loggerhead Shrike
Red-eyed Vireo
none
Blue Jay
none
Horned Lark
Cliff Swallow
5 Order
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Passeriformes
Family
Paridae (Chickadees and Tits)
Remizidae (Penduline-Tits)
Aegithalidae (Long-tailed Tits)
Sittidae (Nuthatches)
Certhiidae (Creepers)
Troglodytidae (Wrens)
Polioptilidae (Gnatcatchers)
Cinclidae (Dippers)
Pycnonotidae (Bulbuls)
Regulidae (Kinglets)
Muscicapidae (Old World
Flycatchers)
Turdidae (Thrushes and Allies)
Timaliidae (Babblers)
Mimidae (Mockingbirds and
Thrashers)
Sturnidae (Starlings)
Nectariniidae (Sunbirds and
Spiderhunters)
Motacillidae (Wagtails and Pipits)
Bombycillidae (Waxwings)
Mohoidae (Hawaiian Honeyeaters)
Ptilogonatidae (Silky-flycatchers)
Peucedramidae (Olive Warbler)
Calcariidae (Longspurs and Snow
Buntings)
Parulidae (New World Warblers)
Thraupidae (Tanagers and Allies)
Emberizidae (Buntings, Sparrows
and Allies)
Cardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)
Icteridae (Troupials and Allies)
Fringillidae (Siskins, Crossbills,
and Allies)
Passeridae (Old World Sparrows)
Ploceidae (Weavers and Allies)
North American example
Tufted Titmouse
Verdin
Bushtit
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Carolina Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
American Dipper
Red-whiskered Bulbul*
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Northern Wheatear
American Robin
Wrentit
Gray Catbird
European Starling
none
Sprague's Pipit
Cedar Waxwing
none
Phainopepla
Olive Warbler
Smith's Longspur
Prothonotary Warbler
Summer Tanager
Lincoln's Sparrow
Painted Bunting
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Finch
House Sparrow
none
6