CLASS AVES, about 10,000 species

Superorder Paleognathae (5 orders)

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. Order Apterygiformes New Zealand; 5 species
Family Apterygidae: kiwis

Order Casuariiformes Australasia; 4 species.

Family Casuariidae: cassowaries Family Dromaiidae: Emu

Order Rheiformes South America; 2 species.

Family Rheidae: rheas

Order Struthioniformes Africa and Australasia; 2 species.

Family Struthionidae: Ostrich

Order Timamiformes Central & South America; 47 species

Family Tinamidae: tinamous

Superorder Neognathae (34 orders)

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. Order Accipitriformes Worldwide; 200 species.
Family Accipitridae: hawks and relatives Family Cathartidae: New World vultures Family Pandionidae: Osprey Family Sagittaridae: Secretarybird

Order Aegotheliformes Oceania; 10 species; sometimes grouped with Apodiformes.

Family Aegothelidae: owlet-nightjars

Order Anseriformes

Worldwide; 150 species.

Family Anatidae: ducks, geese, and swans Family Anhimidae: screamers Family Anseranatidae: Magpie-goose

Order Apodiformes Worldwide; 400 species.

Family Apodidae: swifts Family Hemiprocnidae: treeswifts Family Trochilidae: hummingbirds

Order Bucerotiformes Old World, New Guinea; 64 species.

Family Bucerotidae: hornbills Family Phoeniculidae: woodhoopoes Family Upupidae: Hoopoe

Order Caprimulgiformes Worldwide; 90 species.

Family Caprimulgidae: nighthawks and nightjars Family Eurostopodidae: eared-nightjars Family Nyctibiidae: potoos Family Podargidae: frogmouths Family Steatornithidae: Oilbird

Order Cariamiformes South America; 2 species.

Family Cariamidae: seriemas

Order Charadriiformes Worldwide; 350 species Suborder Charadrii: plover-like waders

Family Charadriidae: plovers and lapwings Family Haematopodidae: oystercatchers Family Ibidorhynchidae: Ibisbill Family Recurvirostridae: avocets and stilts

Suborder Chionidi: thick-knees and allies

Family Burhinidae: thick-knees and relatives Family Chionididae: sheathbills Family Pluvianellidae: Magellanic Plover

Suborder Lari: gulls and allies

Family Alcidae: auks Family Dromadidae: Crab-Plover

Family Glareolidae: coursers and pratincoles Family Laridae: gulls Family Rhynchopidae: skimmers Family Stercorariidae: skuas and jaegers Family Sternidae: terns

Suborder Scolopaci
Family Scolopacidae: sandpipers and relatives

Suborder Thinocori: jacana-like waders

Family Jacanidae: jacanas Family Pedionomidae: Plains-wanderer Family Rostratulidae: painted snipes Family Thinocoridae: seedsnipes

Suborder Turnici
Family Turnicidae: buttonquail

Order Ciconiiformes Worldwide; 108 species

Family Ciconiidae: storks

Order Coliiformes Sub-Saharan Africa; 6 species.

Family Coliidae: mousebirds

Order Columbiformes Worldwide; 300 species.

Family Columbidae: pigeons and doves

Order Coraciiformes Worldwide; 144 species.

Family Brachypteraciidae: ground rollers Family Coraciidae: rollers Family Meropidae: bee-eaters Family Momotidae: motmots Family Todidae: todies

Suborder Alcedines: kingfishers

Family Alcedinidae: river kingfishers Family Cerylidae: water kingfishers Family Halcyonidae: tree kingfishers

Order Cuculiformes Worldwide; 126 species.

Family Cuculidae: cuckoos and relatives

Order Falconiformes Worldwide; 60 species.

Family Falconidae: falcons and relatives

Order Galliformes Worldwide; 250 species.

Family Cracidae: chachalacas, curassows, and guans Family Megapodidae: megapodes

Suborder Phasianoidea: pheasants and allies

Family Numididae: guineafowl Family Odontophoridae: New World quail Family Phasianidae: pheasants and relatives

Order Gaviiformes North America, Eurasia; 5 species.

Family Gaviidae: loons

Order Gruiformes Worldwide; 191 species.

Family Otididae: bustards

Suborder Grui: cranes and allies

Family Aramidae: Limpkin Family Gruidae: cranes Family Psophiidae: trumpeters

Suborder Ralli: rails and allies

Family Heliornithidae: finfoots Family Rallidae: rails and relatives

Order Leptosomatiformes Madagascar; 1 species.

Family Leptosomatidae: Cuckoo-roller

Order Mesitornithiformes Madagascar, Neotropics, New Caledonia; 5 species.

Family Eurypygidae: Sunbittern Family Mesitornithidae: mesites Family Rhynochetidae: Kagu

Order Musophagiformes Africa; 23 species.

Family Musophagidae: turacos and relatives

Order Opisthocomiformes South America; 1 species.

 Family Opisthocomidae: Hoatzin

Order Passeriformes Worldwide; about 5000 species. Suborder Acanthisitti

Family Acanthisittidae: New Zealand wrens

Suborder Passeri: oscines

Family Acanthizidae: australasian warblers Family Acrocephalidae: marsh warblers Family Aegithalidae: bushtits Family Aegithinidae: ioras Family Alaudidae: larks Family Atrichornithidae: scrub-birds Family Artamidae: woodswallows and butcherbirds Family Bernieridae: malagasy warblers Family Bombycillidae: waxwings Family Buphagidae: oxpeckers Family Callaeidae: wattlebirds Family Campephagidae: cuckoo-shrikes Family Cardinalidae: cardinals, grosbeaks, and New World buntings Family Certhiidae: treecreepers Family Cettiidae: bush warblers Family Chaetopidae: rock-jumpers Family Chloropseidae: leafbirds Family Cinclidae: dippers Family Cinclosomatidae: whipbirds and quail-thrushes Family Cisticolidae: cisticolas and relatives Family Climacteridae: Australasian treecreepers Family Coerebidae: Bananaquit Family Colluricinclidae: shrike-thrushes and relatives Family Corcoracidae: mudnesters Family Cnemophilidae: satinbirds Family Corvidae: jays and crows Family Dasyornithidae: bristlebirds Family Dicaeidae: flowerpeckers Family Dicruridae: drongos Family Donacobiidae: Donacobius Family Dulidae: Palmchat Family Emberizidae: Old World buntings and New World sparrows Family Estrildidae: weaver finches Family Eupetidae: Rail-Babbler Family Fringillidae: finches and relatives

Family Hirundinidae: swallows and martins Family Hyliotidae: hyliotas Family Hypocoliidae: Hypocolius Family Icteridae: New World blackbirds and New World orioles Family Irenidae: fairy-bluebirds Family Laniidae: shrikes Family Macrosphenidae: african warblers Family Malaconotidae: bushshrikes and relatives Family Maluridae: australasian wrens Family Megaluridae: grass warblers Family Melanocharitidae: berrypeckers Family Meliphagidae: honeyeaters and relatives Family Menuridae: lyrebirds Family Mimidae: mockingbirds and thrashers Family Monarchidae: monarch flycatchers Family Motacillidae: wagtails and pipits Family Muscicapidae: flycatchers and relatives Family Nectariniidae: sunbirds Family Neosittidae: sittellas Family Nicatoridae: nicators Family Notiomystidae: Stitchbird Family Oriolidae: Old World orioles Family Orthonychidae: logrunners Family Pachycephalidae: whistlers and relatives Family Panuridae: Bearded Reedling Family Paradisaeidae: birds-of-paradise Family Pardalotidae: pardalotes Family Paramythiidae: painted berrypeckers Family Paridae: chickadees and true tits Family Parulidae: wood warblers Family Passeridae: Old World sparrows Family Petroicidae: Australasian robins Family Peucedramidae: Olive Warbler Family Phylloscopidae: leaf warblers Family Picathartidae: rockfowl Family Pityriaseidae: bristlehead Family Platysteiridae: wattle-eyes and batises Family Ploceidae: weavers and relatives Family Pnoepygidae: pygmy wren-babblers Family Polioptilidae: gnatcatchers Family Pomatostomidae: australasian babblers Family Prionopidae: helmetshrikes and relatives

Family Promeropidae: sugarbirds Family Prunellidae: accentors Family Ptilogonatidae: silky-flycatchers Family Ptilonorhynchidae: bowerbirds Family Pycnonotidae: bulbuls Family Regulidae: kinglets Family Remizidae: penduline tits Family Rhabdornithidae: Philippine creepers Family Rhipiduridae: fantails Family Sittidae: nuthatches Family Stenostiridae: fairy warblers Family Sturnidae: starlings and mynas Family Sylviidae: true warblers Family Tichodromidae: Wallcreeper Family Timaliidae: babblers and relatives Family Thraupidae: tanagers and relatives Family Troglodytidae: wrens Family Turdidae: thrushes and relatives Family Urocynchramidae: Pink-tailed Bunting Family Vangidae: vangas Family Viduidae: whydahs and indigobirds Family Vireonidae: vireos and relatives Family Zosteropidae: white-eyes Family Conopophagidae: gnateaters Family Cotingidae: cotingas Family Eurylaimidae: broadbills Family Formicariidae: ground antbirds and tapaculos Family Furnariidae: ovenbirds Family Melanopareiidae: crescent-chests Family Philepittidae: asities Family Pipridae: manakins Family Pittidae: pittas Family Sapayoidae: Sapayoa Family Thamnophilidae: antbirds Family Tityridae: becards and tityras Family Tyrannidae: tyrant flycatchers

Suborder Tyranni: suboscines

Order Pelecaniformes Worldwide; 108 species.

Family Ardeidae: herons and relatives Family Balaenicipitidae: Shoebill

 Family Pelecanidae: pelicans Family Scopidae: Hamerkop Family Threskiornithidae: ibises and spoonbills

Order Phaethontiformes Oceanic; 3 species.

Family Phaethontidae: tropicbirds

Order Phoenicopteriformes Old World except Far East, Central & South America; 6 species
Family Phoenicopteridae: flamingos

Order Piciformes Worldwide except Australasia; 400 species.

Family Bucconidae: puffbirds Family Capitonidae: American barbets Family Galbulidae: jacamars Family Indicatoridae: honeyguides Family Lybiidae: African barbets Family Megalaimidae: Asian barbets Family Picidae: woodpeckers Family Ramphastidae: toucans Family Semnornithidae: Toucan barbets

Order Podicipediformes Worldwide; 19 species; sometimes grouped with Phoenicopteriformes.

Family Podicipedidae: grebes

Order Psittaciformes Pan-tropical, southern temperate zones; 330 species.

Family Cacatuidae: cockatoos Family Psittacidae: true parrots Family Strigopidae: New Zealand parrots

Order Pteroclidiformes Africa, Europe, Asia; 16 species; sometimes grouped with Columbiformes.
Family Pteroclididae: sandgrouse

Order Sphenisciformes Antarctic and southern waters; 17 species.

Family Spheniscidae: penguins

Order Procellariformes Pan-oceanic; 120 species

Family Diomedeidae: albatrosses

 Family Hydrobatidae: storm petrels Family Pelecanoididae: diving petrels Family Procellariidae: petrels and relative

Order Suliformes Worldwide; 59 species.

Family Anhingidae: darters Family Fregatidae: frigatebirds Family Phalacrocoracidae: cormorants and shags Family Sulidae: boobies and gannets

Order Strigiformes Worldwide; 130 species.

Family Strigidae: true owls Family Tytonidae: barn owls

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

Family Trogonidae: trogons and quetzals