Avian Orders (descriptions)

Procellariiformes

- pelagic, palmate feet

● bill hooked, nostrils tubular

● wings long, narrow

● mostly black and gray

Suliformes

● aquatic; totipalmate foot

● bill with gular sac, not as pronounced as that of pelicans

Pelecaniformes

● Mostly aquatic

● Pelican feet totipalmate; others not webbed with long toes, incumbent hallux

● Pelican legs relatively short, others long

- long necks

Ciconiiformes

● mostly aquatic; long legs, incumbent hallux

● long neck and slightly decurved bil

Anseriformes

● aquatic; feet palmate, hallux elevated and sometimes lobed

● bill lamellate or serrate (mergansers), broad and depressed

with nail-like hook

Accipitriformes

● feet raptorial

● bill sharp, strongly hooked with cere

Cathartiformes

● Raptor-like, but talons and beak not as sharp

● Largely bare heads

● Mostly black

Falconiformes

● feet raptorial

● bill sharp, strongly hooked with cere

● wings and tail more pointed than other hawks

Galliformes

● body plump, wings short

● bill short, stout, decurved

● feet strong, tarsi scutellate or feathered

Gruiformes

● size variable, long legs, tail short

● nostrils perforate

Charadriiformes

● aquatic; feet palmate or semipalmate

● features variable, especially bill

Columbiformes

● bill small and slender with operculum

● wings, tail long

Psittaciformes

● bill strongly hooked, decurved with cere

● toes long, zygodactyl

● usually brightly colored, tropical

Cuculiformes

● bill usually long, compressed

● tail long and graduated

● feet zygodactyl

Strigiformes

● feet raptorial

● bill hooked, decurved with cere

● plumage soft

Caprimulgiformes

● bill short but gape is wide, rictal bristles

● wings long, pointed

● feet small, weak

● plumage soft

Apodiformes

● two groups very different

● feet small and weak

Trogoniformes

● bill hooked, decurved with several "teeth" in upper mandible

● tail long

● tropical, often brightly colored

Coraciiformes

● bill long, straight, compressed

● feet small and weak, syndactyl

● head often crested

● most species tropica

Piciformes

● bill long, straight, chisel-like

● rectrices acuminate with stiffened tips

● feet strong, zygodactyl

Passeriformes

● bill, tail, wings variable

● feet anisodactyl

Pipridae

Manakins

Tyrannidae

Flycatchers

Parulidae

Warblers

Turdidae

Thrushes

Fringillidae

Finches

Thraupidae

Tanagers

Icterdiae

Black Birds

Passeridae

Old world, true sparrows

Phoenicopteriformes

Deeply keeled beak and large fleshy tongue for filter feeding

Sphenisciformes

● solid, heavy bones;

● wings that are modified into stiff, flat flippers

● webbed feet set well back on the body

● short, stiff feathers that repel water