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

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

Tinamiformes

•chicken-like

•can fly

•highly-colored eggs