List of birds

clade|style=font-size:75%
label1=Neornithes
1=clade
1=clade
1=Struthioniformes*
2=Tinamiformes
2=clade
1=Neoaves
label2= Galloanserae
2=clade
1=Anseriformes
2=Galliformes clade|style=font-size:75%
label1=Neoaves
1=clade
1=clade
1=Podicipediformes
2=Phoenicopteriformes
2=Phaethontidae
3=Pteroclidiformes
4=Mesitornithidae
5=Columbiformes
6=clade
1=Eurypygidae
2=Rhynochetidae
label7= Cypselomorphae
7=clade
1=Caprimulgiformes
2=clade
1=Apodiformes
2=Aegotheliformes
8=Opisthocomidae
9=clade
1=Gruiformes
2=Cuculiformes
3="Waterbirds"
10=clade
1=Charadriiformes
2="Landbirds" clade|style=font-size:75%
label1="Waterbirds"
1=clade
1=Gaviiformes
2=clade
1=clade
1=Sphenisciformes
2=Procellariiformes
2=clade
1=Ciconiiformes*
2=Pelecaniformes* clade|style=font-size:75%
label1="Landbirds"
1=clade
1=Accipitriformes
2=Strigiformes
3=Coliiformes
4=clade
1=Leptosomatidae
2=Trogoniformes
3=clade
1=Bucerotiformes
2=clade
1=Coraciiformes
2=Piciformes
5=Cariamidae
6=clade
1=Falconidae
2=clade
1=Psittaciformes
2=Passeriformes
A phylogenetic tree of the modern birds, based on a recent study [A Phylogenomic Study of Birds Reveals Their Evolutionary History. Shannon J. Hackett, "et al". "Science" 320, 1763 (2008).] . Note the polytomies.

This page lists living orders and families of birds. The links below should then lead to family accounts and hence to individual species. For extinct birds, please see Extinct birds, Prehistoric birds and Fossil birds.

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

Mainly southern hemisphere; 12 species; sometimes all families are raised to order rank.
* Struthionidae: Ostrich
* Rheidae: rheas
* Casuariidae: cassowaries, emus
* Apterygidae: kiwis

Tinamiformes

South America; 45 species.
* Tinamidae: tinamous

Neognathae

Nearly all living birds belong to the superorder of Neognathae or "new jaws". With their keels, unlike the ratites, they are known as carinates. The passerines alone account for well over 5000 species.

Anseriformes

Worldwide; 150 species.
* Anhimidae: screamers
* Anseranatidae: Magpie-goose
* Anatidae: ducks, eiders, geese, goldeneyes, mergansers, pintails, pochards, scaups, scoters, shovelers, swans, teals, wigeons

Galliformes

Worldwide except northern Eurasia; 250 species.
* Megapodidae: mound-builders
* Cracidae: chachalacas, curassows, guans
* Phasianoidea: pheasants and allies
** Odontophoridae: New World quails
** Numididae: guineafowl
** Phasianidae: pheasants, chickens, francolins, grouse, junglefowl, monals, partridges, peafowl, Old World quail, turkeys

Podicipediformes

Worldwide; 19 species.
* Podicipedidae: grebes

Phoenicopteriformes

Worldwide; 6 species.
* Phoenicopteridae: flamingoes

Pteroclidiformes

Africa, Europe, Asia; 16 species.
* Pteroclididae: sandgrouse

Columbiformes

Worldwide; 300 species.
* Columbidae: pigeons, doves

Caprimulgiformes

Worldwide; 90 species.
* Steatornithidae: Oilbird
* Podargidae: frogmouths
* Nyctibiidae: potoos
* Caprimulgidae: nightjars, nighthawks, pauraques, poorwills
* Eurostopodidae: eared-nightjars

Apodiformes

Worldwide; 400 species.
* Trochilidae: hummingbirds and allies
* Apodidae: swifts, needletails, swiftlets
* Hemiprocnidae: tree swifts

Aegotheliformes

Oceania; 10 species.
* Aegothelidae: owlet-nightjars

Cuculiformes

Worldwide; 150 species.
* Opisthocomidae: Hoatzin; probably a distinct order.
* Musophagidae: turacos, go-away-birds, plantain-eaters
* Cuculidae: cuckoos, anis, couas, coucals, koels, malkohas, roadrunners

Gruiformes

Worldwide; 200 species.
* Mesitornithidae: mesites; probably a distinct order.
* Eurypygidae: Sunbittern; probably a distinct order.
* Rhynochetidae: Kagu; probably a distinct order.
* Otididae: bustards
* Grui: cranes and allies
** Gruidae: cranes
** Aramidae: Limpkin
** Psophiidae: trumpeters
* Ralli: rails and allies
** Rallidae: rails, coots, crakes, flufftails, moorhens
** Heliornithidae: finfoots
* Cariamidae: seriemas; probably a distinct order.

Gaviiformes

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

Sphenisciformes

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

Procellariiformes

Pan-oceanic; 120 species.
* Diomedeidae: albatrosses
* Procellariidae: fulmarine petrels, gadfly petrels, prions, shearwaters
* Pelecanoididae: diving petrels
* Hydrobatidae: storm petrels

Ciconiiformes

Worldwide; 100 species.
* Ciconiidae: storks
* Threskiornithidae: ibises, spoonbills
* Ardeidae: herons, bitterns, egrets

Pelecaniformes

Worldwide; 68 species.
* Phaethontidae: tropicbirds; probably a distinct order.
* Balaenicipitidae: Shoebill
* Scopidae: Hammerkop
* Pelecanidae: pelicans
* Sulae: cormorants and allies
** Fregatidae: frigatebirds
** Sulidae: boobies, gannets
** Phalacrocoracidae: cormorants, shags
** Anhingidae: darters

Charadriiformes

Worldwide; 300 species.
* Scolopaci
** Scolopacidae: sandpipers, curlews, dowitchers, godwits, phalaropes, shanks, snipes, tattlers, turnstones, woodcocks
* Thinocori: aberrant waders
** Rostratulidae: painted snipe
** Jacanidae: jacanas
** Thinocoridae: seedsnipe
** Pedionomidae: Plains Wanderer
* Lari: gulls and allies
** Laridae: gulls, kittiwakes
** Rhynchopidae: skimmers
** Sternidae: terns, noddies
** Alcidae: auks, auklets, guillemots, murres, murrelets, puffins
** Stercorariidae: skuas, jaegers
** Glareolidae: coursers, pratincoles
** Dromadidae: Crab Plover
* Turnici
** Turnicidae: buttonquails
* Chionidi: thick-knees and allies
** Burhinidae: stone-curlews, thick-knees
** Chionididae: sheathbills
** Pluvianellidae: Magellanic Plover
* Charadrii: plover-like waders
** Ibidorhynchidae: Ibisbill
** Recurvirostridae: avocets, stilts
** Haematopodidae: oystercatchers
** Charadriidae: plovers, lapwings

Falconiformes

Worldwide; 260 species; sometimes all families except Falconidae are separated as Accipitriformes.
* Falconidae: caracaras, falcons, falconets, hobbies, kestrels
* Cathartidae: New World vultures, condors
* Pandionidae: Osprey
* Accipitridae: buzzards, eagles, harriers, hawks, kites, Old World vultures
* Sagittaridae: Secretary Bird

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, quetzals

Coraciiformes

Worldwide; 200 species; sometimes Bucerotidae, Upupidae and Phoeniculidae are separated as Bucerotiformes.
* Leptosomatidae: Cuckoo-roller; probably a distinct order.
* Bucerotidae: hornbills
* Upupidae: Hoopoe
* Phoeniculidae: woodhoopoes
* Meropidae: bee-eaters
* Coraciidae: rollers
* Brachypteraciidae: ground rollers
* Todidae: todies
* Momotidae: motmots
* Alcedines: kingfishers
** Alcedinidae: river kingfishers
** Halcyonidae: tree kingfishers
** Cerylidae: water kingfishers

Piciformes

Worldwide except Australasia; 400 species.
* Galbulae: jacamars, puffbirds
** Galbulidae: jacamars
** Bucconidae: puffbirds
* Pici: woodpeckers and allies
** Lybiidae: African barbets
** Megalaimidae: Asian barbets
** Ramphastidae: toucans
** Semnornithidae: toucan-barbets
** Capitonidae: American barbets
** Picidae: woodpeckers, piculets, wrynecks
** Indicatoridae: honeyguides

Psittaciformes

Pan-tropical, southern temperate zones; 330 species.
* Cacatuidae: cockatoos
* Psittacidae: parrots, amazons, conures, lories, lorikeets, macaws, parakeets, parrotlets, racquet-tails, rosellas

Passeriformes

Worldwide; 5000 species.
* Acanthisitti
** Acanthisittidae: New Zealand wrens
* Tyranni: suboscines
** Tyrannidae: tyrant flycatchers
** Pittidae: pittas
** Furnariidae: ovenbirds
** Thamnophilidae: antbirds
** Formicariidae: antpittas and antthrushes
** Conopophagidae: gnateaters
** Rhinocryptidae: tapaculos
** Cotingidae: cotingas
** Pipridae: manakins
** Philepittidae: asities
* Passeri: oscines
** Atrichornithidae: scrub-birds
** Menuridae: lyrebirds
** Turnagridae: Piopio
** Alaudidae: larks
** Hirundinidae: swallows
** Motacillidae: wagtails and pipits
** Campephagidae: cuckoo-shrikes
** Eupetidae: rail-babbler
** Pycnonotidae: bulbuls
** Regulidae: kinglets
** Chloropseidae: leafbirds
** Aegithinidae: ioras
** Ptilogonatidae: silky-flycatchers
** Bombycillidae: waxwings
** Hypocoliidae: hypocolius
** Dulidae: Palmchat
** Cinclidae: dippers
** Troglodytidae: wrens
** Mimidae: mockingbirds, thrashers and Gray Catbird
** Prunellidae: accentors
** Turdidae: thrushes and allies
** Cisticolidae: cisticolas and allies
** Sylviidae: Old World warblers
** Polioptilidae: gnatcatchers
** Muscicapidae: Old World flycatchers
** Platysteiridae: wattle-eyes
** Petroicidae: Australasian robins
** Pachycephalidae: whistlers and allies
** Picathartidae: rockfowl
** Timaliidae: babblers
** Pomatostomidae: pseudo-babblers
** Paradoxornithidae: parrotbills
** Orthonychidae: logrunner and chowchilla
** Cinclosomatidae: whipbirds and quail-thrushes
** Aegithalidae: long-tailed tits
** Maluridae: fairy-wrens, emu-wrens and grasswrens
** Neosittidae: sitellas
** Climacteridae: Australasian treecreepers
** Paridae: chickadees and tits
** Sittidae: nuthatches
** Tichodromidae: Wallcreeper
** Certhiidae: treecreepers
** Rhabdornithidae: Philippine creepers
** Remizidae: penduline tits
** Nectariniidae: sunbirds and spiderhunters
** Melanocharitidae: berrypeckers and longbills
** Paramythiidae: tit berrypecker and crested berrypeckers
** Dicaeidae: flowerpeckers
** Pardalotidae: pardalotes, thornbills and allies
** Zosteropidae: white-eyes
** Promeropidae: sugarbirds
** Meliphagidae: honeyeaters and chats
** Oriolidae: Old World orioles
** Irenidae: fairy-bluebirds
** Laniidae: shrikes
** Malaconotidae: bushshrikes and allies
** Prionopidae: helmetshrikes
** Vangidae: vangas
** Dicruridae: drongos
** Callaeidae: wattlebirds
** Corcoracidae: White-winged Chough and Apostlebird
** Artamidae: currawongs, woodswallows, butcherbirds & allies
** Pityriaseidae: bristlehead
** Paradisaeidae: birds-of-paradise
** Ptilonorhynchidae: bowerbirds
** Corvidae: crows, jays and magpies
** Sturnidae: starlings
** Passeridae: Old World sparrows
** Ploceidae: weavers and allies
** Estrildidae: waxbills and allies
** Viduidae: indigobirds
** Vireonidae: vireos and allies
** Fringillidae: finches, crossbills and allies
** Drepanididae: Hawaiian honeycreepers
** Peucedramidae: Olive Warbler
** Parulidae: New World warblers
** Coerebidae: Bananaquit
** Thraupidae: tanagers and allies
** Emberizidae: buntings, seedeaters and allies
** Cardinalidae: saltators, cardinals and allies
** Icteridae: troupials and allies

ee also

* List of African birds
* List of Asian birds
* List of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic birds
* List of Australian birds
* List of European birds
* List of North American birds
* Extinct birds
* Prehistoric birds
* Fossil birds
* List of chicken breeds

For regions smaller than continents see:

* Lists of birds by region

References