Bird families

This page lists living orders and families of birds. The links below should then lead to family accounts of bird behavior etc 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.

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.
 * Struthionidae: Ostrich

Rheiformes
South America; 2 species.
 * Rheidae: rheas

Tinamiformes
South America; 45 species.
 * Tinamidae: tinamous

Casuariiformes
Australasia; 4 species.
 * Casuariidae: cassowaries
 * Dromaiidae: Emu

Apterygiformes
Australasia; 5 species.
 * Apterygidae: kiwis

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

Galliformes
Worldwide; 250 species.
 * Megapodidae: megapodes
 * Cracidae: chachalacas, curassows, and guans
 * Phasianoidea: pheasants and allies
 * Odontophoridae: New World quail
 * Numididae: guineafowl
 * Phasianidae: pheasants and relatives

Podicipediformes
Worldwide; 19 species; sometimes grouped with Phoenicopteriformes.
 * Podicipedidae: grebes

Phoenicopteriformes
Worldwide; 6 species.
 * Phoenicopteridae: flamingos

Mesitornithiformes
Madagascar, Neotropics, New Caledonia; 5 species.
 * Mesitornithidae: mesites
 * Rhynochetidae: Kagu
 * Eurypygidae: Sunbittern

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

Columbiformes
Worldwide; 300 species.
 * Columbidae: pigeons and doves

Phaethontiformes
Oceanic; 3 species.
 * Phaethontidae: tropicbirds

Caprimulgiformes
Worldwide; 90 species.
 * Steatornithidae: Oilbird
 * Podargidae: frogmouths
 * Nyctibiidae: potoos
 * Caprimulgidae: nighthawks and nightjars
 * Eurostopodidae: eared-nightjars

Apodiformes
Worldwide; 400 species.
 * Trochilidae: hummingbirds
 * Apodidae: swifts
 * Hemiprocnidae: treeswifts

Aegotheliformes
Oceania; 10 species; sometimes grouped with Apodiformes.
 * Aegothelidae: owlet-nightjars

Cuculiformes
Worldwide; 126 species.
 * Cuculidae: cuckoos and relatives

Opisthocomiformes
South America; 1 species.
 * Opisthocomidae: Hoatzin

Musophagiformes
Africa; 23 species.
 * Musophagidae: turacos and relatives

Gruiformes
Worldwide; 191 species.
 * Otididae: bustards
 * Grui: cranes and allies
 * Gruidae: cranes
 * Aramidae: Limpkin
 * Psophiidae: trumpeters
 * Ralli: rails and allies
 * Rallidae: rails and relatives
 * Heliornithidae: finfoots

Gaviiformes
North America, Eurasia; 5 species.
 * Gaviidae: loons

Sphenisciformes
Antarctic and southern waters; 17 species.
 * Spheniscidae: penguins

Procellariiformes
Pan-oceanic; 120 species.
 * Diomedeidae: albatrosses
 * Procellariidae: petrels and relatives
 * Pelecanoididae: diving petrels
 * Hydrobatidae: storm petrels

Ciconiiformes
Worldwide; 19 species.
 * Ciconiidae: storks

Pelecaniformes
Worldwide; 108 species.
 * Balaenicipitidae: Shoebill
 * Scopidae: Hamerkop
 * Pelecanidae: pelicans
 * Ardeidae: herons and relatives
 * Threskiornithidae: ibises and spoonbills

Suliformes
Worldwide; 59 species.
 * Phalacrocoracidae: cormorants and shags
 * Fregatidae: frigatebirds
 * Sulidae: boobies and gannets
 * Anhingidae: darters

Charadriiformes
Worldwide; 350 species
 * Scolopaci
 * Scolopacidae: sandpipers and relatives
 * Thinocori: jacana-like waders
 * Rostratulidae: painted snipes
 * Jacanidae: jacanas
 * Thinocoridae: Seedsnipes
 * Pedionomidae: Plains-wanderer
 * Turnici
 * Turnicidae: buttonquail
 * Lari: gulls and allies
 * Laridae: gulls
 * Rhynchopidae: skimmers
 * Sternidae: terns
 * Alcidae: auks
 * Stercorariidae: skuas and jaegers
 * Glareolidae: coursers and pratincoles
 * Dromadidae: Crab-Plover
 * Chionidi: thick-knees and allies
 * Burhinidae: thick-knees and relatives
 * Chionididae: sheathbills
 * Pluvianellidae: Magellanic Plover
 * Charadrii: plover-like waders
 * Ibidorhynchidae: Ibisbill
 * Recurvirostridae: avocets and stilts
 * Haematopodidae: oystercatchers
 * Charadriidae: plovers and lapwings

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

Strigiformes
Worldwide; 130 species.
 * Tytonidae: barn owls
 * Strigidae: true owls

Coliiformes
Sub-Saharan Africa; 6 species.
 * Coliidae: mousebirds

Trogoniformes
Sub-Saharan Africa, Americas, Asia; 35 species.
 * Trogonidae: trogons and quetzals

Coraciiformes
Worldwide; 144 species.
 * Meropidae: bee-eaters
 * Coraciidae: rollers
 * Brachypteraciidae: ground rollers
 * Todidae: todies
 * Momotidae: motmots
 * Alcedines: kingfishers
 * Alcedinidae: river kingfishers
 * Halcyonidae: tree kingfishers
 * Cerylidae: water kingfishers

Bucerotiformes
Old World, New Guinea; 64 species.
 * Bucerotidae: hornbills
 * Upupidae: Hoopoe
 * Phoeniculidae: woodhoopoes

Leptosomatiformes
Madagascar; 1 species.
 * Leptosomatidae: Cuckoo-roller

Piciformes
Worldwide except Australasia; 400 species.
 * Galbulidae: jacamars
 * Bucconidae: puffbirds
 * Lybiidae: African barbets
 * Megalaimidae: Asian barbets
 * Ramphastidae: toucans
 * Semnornithidae: Toucan barbets
 * Capitonidae: American barbets
 * Picidae: woodpeckers
 * Indicatoridae: honeyguides

Falconiformes
Worldwide; 60 species.
 * Falconidae: falcons and relatives

Cariamiformes
South America; 2 species.
 * Cariamidae: seriemas

Psittaciformes
Pan-tropical, southern temperate zones; 330 species.
 * Nestoridae: Kea and kakas
 * Strigopidae: Kakapo
 * Cacatuidae: cockatoos
 * Psittacidae: African and American parrots
 * Psittrichasiidae: Pesquet's parrot, vasa parrots
 * Psittaculidae: Australasian parrots

Passeriformes
Worldwide; 5000 species.
 * Acanthisitti
 * Acanthisittidae: New Zealand wrens
 * Tyranni: suboscines
 * Eurylaimidae: broadbills
 * Philepittidae: asities
 * Pittidae: pittas
 * Sapayoidae: Sapayoa
 * Tyrannidae: tyrant flycatchers
 * Tityridae: becards and tityras
 * Furnariidae: ovenbirds
 * Thamnophilidae: antbirds
 * Formicariidae: ground antbirds and tapaculos
 * Conopophagidae: gnateaters
 * Cotingidae: cotingas
 * Pipridae: manakins
 * Melanopareiidae: crescent-chests
 * Passeri: oscines
 * Atrichornithidae: scrub-birds
 * Menuridae: lyrebirds
 * Alaudidae: larks
 * Hirundinidae: swallows and martins
 * Motacillidae: wagtails and pipits
 * Campephagidae: cuckoo-shrikes
 * Eupetidae: Rail-Babbler
 * Pycnonotidae: bulbuls
 * Regulidae: kinglets
 * Hyliotidae: hyliotas
 * Chloropseidae: leafbirds
 * Aegithinidae: ioras
 * Ptilogonatidae: silky-flycatchers
 * Bombycillidae: waxwings
 * Hypocoliidae: Hypocolius
 * Dulidae: Palmchat
 * Cinclidae: dippers
 * Troglodytidae: wrens
 * Donacobiidae: Donacobius
 * Mimidae: mockingbirds and thrashers
 * Prunellidae: accentors
 * Turdidae: thrushes and relatives
 * Cisticolidae: cisticolas and relatives
 * Sylviidae: true warblers
 * Stenostiridae: fairy warblers
 * Macrosphenidae: African warblers
 * Cettiidae: bush warblers
 * Phylloscopidae: leaf warblers
 * Megaluridae: grass warblers
 * Acrocephalidae: marsh warblers
 * Bernieridae: malagasy warblers
 * Pnoepygidae: pygmy wren-babblers
 * Polioptilidae: gnatcatchers
 * Muscicapidae: flycatchers and relatives
 * Platysteiridae: wattle-eyes and batises
 * Petroicidae: Australasian robins
 * Pachycephalidae: whistlers and relatives
 * Colluricinclidae: shrike-thrushes and relatives
 * Picathartidae: rockfowl
 * Chaetopidae: rock-jumpers
 * Timaliidae: babblers and relatives
 * Panuridae: Bearded Reedling
 * Nicatoridae: nicators
 * Pomatostomidae: Australasian babblers
 * Orthonychidae: logrunners
 * Cinclosomatidae: whipbirds and quail-thrushes
 * Aegithalidae: bushtits
 * Maluridae: Australasian wrens
 * Neosittidae: sittellas
 * Climacteridae: Australasian treecreepers
 * Paridae: chickadees and true tits
 * Sittidae: nuthatches
 * Tichodromidae: Wallcreeper
 * Certhiidae: treecreepers
 * Rhabdornithidae: Philippine creepers
 * Remizidae: penduline tits
 * Nectariniidae: sunbirds
 * Melanocharitidae: berrypeckers
 * Paramythiidae: painted berrypeckers
 * Dicaeidae: flowerpeckers
 * Dasyornithidae: bristlebirds
 * Pardalotidae: pardalotes
 * Acanthizidae: Australasian warblers
 * Zosteropidae: white-eyes
 * Promeropidae: sugarbirds
 * Meliphagidae: honeyeaters and relatives
 * Notiomystidae: Stitchbird
 * Oriolidae: Old World orioles
 * Irenidae: fairy-bluebirds
 * Laniidae: shrikes
 * Malaconotidae: bushshrikes and relatives
 * Prionopidae: helmetshrikes and relatives
 * Vangidae: vangas
 * Dicruridae: drongos
 * Rhipiduridae: fantails
 * Monarchidae: monarch flycatchers
 * Callaeidae: wattlebirds
 * Corcoracidae: mudnesters
 * Artamidae: woodswallows and butcherbirds
 * Pityriaseidae: bristlehead
 * Paradisaeidae: birds-of-paradise
 * Cnemophilidae: satinbirds
 * Ptilonorhynchidae: bowerbirds
 * Corvidae: jays and crows
 * Sturnidae: starlings and mynas
 * Buphagidae: oxpeckers
 * Passeridae: Old World sparrows
 * Ploceidae: weavers and relatives
 * Estrildidae: weaver finches
 * Viduidae: whydahs and indigobirds
 * Vireonidae: vireos and relatives
 * Fringillidae: finches and relatives
 * Urocynchramidae: Pink-tailed Bunting
 * Peucedramidae: Olive Warbler
 * Parulidae: wood warblers
 * Coerebidae: Bananaquit
 * Thraupidae: tanagers and relatives
 * Emberizidae: Old World buntings and New World sparrows
 * Cardinalidae: cardinals, grosbeaks, and New World buntings
 * Icteridae: New World blackbirds and New World orioles