Ornithology: Superorders Neogathae & Palaeognathae

The two superorders, their scientific names, their common names, and their 3 unqiue features.

Main superorders of birds

Palaeognathae and Neognathae

Palaeognathae defintion/charateristic

old jaws

Neognathae definiton/characteristic

new jaws

Main groups within Palaeognathae

Ratites and Tinamous

Rheiformes - Common name

Rhea

Rheiformes - Key features

Flightless, South American, 'New World ostrich'

Casuariiformes - Common names

Cassowary and emu

Casuariiformes - Feather characteristics

Emus: fluffy feathers; Cassowaries: hair-like feathers

Apterygiformes - Common name

Kiwi

Apterygiformes - Key features

Large egg to body, nocturnal, nostrils at bill tip

Podicipediformes - Common name

Grebes

Podicipediformes - Key features

Feet far back, floating nests, lobed toes

Sphenisciformes - Common name

Penguin

Sphenisciformes - Key features

Flightless, dense feathers, fat layer

Procellariiformes - Common names

Albatross, fulmar, shearwater, petrel

Procellariiformes - Key features

Tubular nostrils, keen smell, only land to nest

Pelecaniformes - Common names

Pelican, heron, egret, shoebill

Pelecaniformes - Key features

Totipalmate feet, gular pouch, all oceans

Anseriformes - Common names

Duck, goose, swan, screamer

Anseriformes - Key features

Webbed front toes, male waterfoowl genitalia, screamers non-aquatic

Phoenicopteriformes - Common name

Flamingo

Phoenicopteriformes - Key features

Filter feeders, pink color food, red crop milk

Suliformes - Common names

Darter, shag, cormorant, frigatebird, booby

Suliformes - Key features

Piscivorous, no oil gland, must dry wings

Accipitriformes - Common names

Raptor, American vulture, osprey, secretary bird

Falconiformes - Common names

Falcon, caracara

Falconiformes - Key features

Hooked bill and talons, sexually dimorphic, carnivorous

Galliformes - Common names

Pheasant, quail, grouse

Gruiformes - Common names

Crane, rail

Gruiformes - Key features

Diverse habitats

Charadriiformes - Common names

Shorebird, gull, auk

Charadriiformes - Key features

water birds, classified skeleton structure

Gaviiformes - Common name

Loon

Gaviiformes - Key features

Dives 200 ft, legs far back, dense bones

Columbiformes - Common names

Pigeon, dove

Columbiformes - Key features

Seed eaters, crop milk, includes dodo

Psittaciformes - Common name

Parrot

Psittaciformes - Key features

Hooked bill, fleshy tongue, zygodactyl feet

Coliiformes - Common name

Mousebird

Coliiformes - Key features

Native to Africa, crested head, flexible toes

Musophagiformes - Common name

Turaco

Musophagiformes - Key features

Herbivorous, bare facial skin, reversible outer toe

Opisthocomiformes - Common name

Hoatzin

Opisthocomiformes - Key features

Single species, leaf-eater, anisodactyl feet

Cuculiformes - Common name

Cuckoo

Cuculiformes - Key features

Brood parasites, insectivorous, zygodactyl feet

Strigiformes - Common name

Owl

Strigiformes - Key features

Nocturnal, facial disk, asymmetrical ears

Caprimulgiformes - Common names

Nightjar, potoo, oilbird

Caprimulgiformes - Key features

Nocturnal, insectivorous, camouflage

Apodiformes - Common names

Swift, hummingbird, owlet-nightjar

Apodiformes - Key features

Extreme aerialists, swifts wide gapes, hummingbirds long tongues

Trogoniformes - Common name

Trogon

Trogoniformes - Key features

Heterodactyl feet, colorful plumage, fruit eater

Coraciiformes - Common names

Kingfisher, roller

Coraciiformes - Key features

Syndactyl feet, large head, heavy bill

Piciformes - Common names

Woodpecker, toucan

Piciformes - Key features

Zygodactyl feet, stiff tail feathers, diverse feeding

Passeriformes - Common name

Perching bird

Passeriformes - Key features

Flexible hind toe, fused palate, oil glands

Rheiformes - Superorder

Palaeognathae

Casuariiformes - Superorder

Palaeognathae

Apterygiformes - Superorder

Palaeognathae

Podicipediformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Sphenisciformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Procellariiformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Pelecaniformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Anseriformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Phoenicopteriformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Suliformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Accipitriformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Falconiformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Galliformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Gruiformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Charadriiformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Gaviiformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Columbiformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Psittaciformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Coliiformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Musophagiformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Opisthocomiformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Cuculiformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Strigiformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Caprimulgiformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Apodiformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Trogoniformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Coraciiformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Piciformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Passeriformes - Superorder

Neognathae

Totipalmate feet

4 webbed toes

Zygodactyl feet

2 toes forward, 2 backward

Anisodactyl feet

3 toes forward, 1 backward

Heterodactyl feet

Toes 3 and 4 forward,1 and 2 backward

Syndactyl feet

2-3 toes fused

q

q