Ornithology - Orders

order details and examples of species

Paleognathae

old jaw, no keeled sternum (ratites), no feather vanes or uropygial gland, strong legs; cassowaries, emu, ostrich, kiwi

Galliformes

strong sexual dimorphism, large crop, strong gizzards (often w/ stones), strong large feet; turkeys, grouse, pheasants, quail

Anseriformes

good surface swimmers, large preen gland, webbed feet, one molt; duck, geese, swan, mergansers

Podicipediformes

only members are Grebes (19 spp.), all diving birds, pointed bill, legs at rear of body, elaborate courtships; pie-billed grebe, eared grebe, horned grebe

Columbiformes

grit eaters/geophagy, drink water via sucking, poorly developed preen gland; doves, pigeons, dodos

Gaviiformes

5 species in one genus (Gavia), all are good swimmers and poor fliers; dense bones, long/sharp bills, sharp projections on mouth and tongue; common loon

Pelicaniformes

aquatic lifestyle, 4 webbed toes, most have unfeathered throat pouch, some w/ serrated/hooked bills; boobies, frigatebirds, herons, shoebills

Charadriiformes

supra-orbital salt gland, long distance migrants, colonial nesters; all shorebirds, (sandpipers, plovers, stilts), terns, skimmers, woodcocks, killdeer, gulls

Gruiformes

good surface swimmers, varied bills and size, evolved flightlessness; rails, coots, cranes, sora

Strigiformes

silent flight, facial discs, mostly nocturnal, 2 toes forward/back; owls

Caprimulgiformes

cryptic coloration, large mouth/eyes; nighthawks, nightjars, frogmouthes, whippoorwill

Apodiformes

small/very small, ~80% flight muscles, deep keeled sternum, torpor; swifts, hummingbirds

Cuculiformes

2 toes forward/ back, monomorphic, slightly curved/narrow bills; cuckoos, anis, roadrunners

Coraciiformes

fusion of first 3 toes, nest in burrows or tree cavities; kingfisher, hornbills, bee eaters

Piciformes

2 toes forward/ 2 back, notched sternum, 5 ribs, subtle sexual dimorphism; Northern flicker, woodpeckers, toucan, honeyguides

Passeriformes

largest order, colored eggs, altricial young, unique bony plate, 3 toes forward/ 1 back w/ curved claws, large brains

Falconiformes

monogomous, good vision, fast fliers; falcons, caracaras, kestrels

Accipitriformes

monogomous, predators; hawks, eagles, kites, osprey, turkey vultures

Passeriformes (suboscines)

simpler vocal cords, perching birds, diverse in New World tropics; Acadian flycatchers, kingbirds, eastern phoebe

Passeriformes (oscines)

most complex vocal cords of any bird, global habitat, includes all songbirds; eastern phoebe, house sparrow, common waxbill