Portal:Birds

The Birds Portal

Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (/ˈeɪviːz/), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweight skeleton. Birds live worldwide and range in size from the 5.5 cm (2.2 in) bee hummingbird to the 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) common ostrich. There are over 11,000 living species, more than half of which are passerine, or "perching" birds. Birds have wings whose development varies according to species; the only known groups without wings are the extinct moa and elephant birds. Wings, which are modified forelimbs, gave birds the ability to fly, although further evolution has led to the loss of flight in some birds, including ratites, penguins, and diverse endemic island species. The digestive and respiratory systems of birds are also uniquely adapted for flight. Some bird species of aquatic environments, particularly seabirds and some waterbirds, have further evolved for swimming. The study of birds is called ornithology.

Birds are feathered theropod dinosaurs and constitute the only known living dinosaurs. Likewise, birds are considered reptiles in the modern cladistic sense of the term, and their closest living relatives are the crocodilians. Birds are descendants of the primitive avialans (whose members include Archaeopteryx) which first appeared during the Late Jurassic. According to recent estimates, modern birds (Neornithes) evolved in the Late Cretaceous and diversified dramatically around the time of the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event 66 million years ago, which killed off the pterosaurs and all non-avian dinosaurs.

Many social species pass on knowledge across generations, which is considered a form of culture. Birds are social, communicating with visual signals, calls, and songs, and participating in such behaviours as cooperative breeding and hunting, flocking, and mobbing of predators. The vast majority of bird species are socially (but not necessarily sexually) monogamous, usually for one breeding season at a time, sometimes for years, and rarely for life. Other species have breeding systems that are polygynous (one male with many females) or, rarely, polyandrous (one female with many males). Birds produce offspring by laying eggs which are fertilised through sexual reproduction. They are usually laid in a nest and incubated by the parents. Most birds have an extended period of parental care after hatching.

Many species of birds are economically important as food for human consumption and raw material in manufacturing, with domesticated and undomesticated birds being important sources of eggs, meat, and feathers. Songbirds, parrots, and other species are popular as pets. Guano (bird excrement) is harvested for use as a fertiliser. Birds figure throughout human culture. About 120 to 130 species have become extinct due to human activity since the 17th century, and hundreds more before then. Human activity threatens about 1,200 bird species with extinction, though efforts are underway to protect them. Recreational birdwatching is an important part of the ecotourism industry. (Full article...)

Featured articles

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  The Eurasian treecreeper or common treecreeper (Certhia familiaris) is a small passerine bird also known in the British Isles, where it is the only living member of its genus, simply as treecreeper. It is similar to other treecreepers, and has a curved bill, patterned brown upperparts, whitish underparts, and long stiff tail feathers which help it creep up tree trunks. It can be most easily distinguished from the similar short-toed treecreeper, which shares much of its European range, by its different song.
  
  The Eurasian treecreeper has nine or more subspecies which breed in different parts of its range in the Palearctic. This species is found in woodlands of all kinds, but where it overlaps with the short-toed treecreeper in western Europe it is more likely to be found in coniferous forests or at higher altitudes. It nests in tree crevices or behind bark flakes, and favours introduced giant sequoia as nest sites where they are available. The female typically lays five or six pink-speckled white eggs in the lined nest, but eggs and chicks are vulnerable to attack by woodpeckers and mammals, including squirrels.
  
  The Eurasian treecreeper is insectivorous and climbs up tree trunks like a mouse, to search for insects which it picks from crevices in the bark with its fine curved bill. It then flies to the base of another tree with a distinctive erratic flight. This bird is solitary in winter, but may form communal roosts in cold weather. (Full article...)
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  Female, Taronga Zoo

  
  Carnaby's black cockatoo (Zanda latirostris), also known as the short-billed black cockatoo, is a large black cockatoo endemic to southwest Australia. It was described in 1948 by naturalist Ivan Carnaby. Measuring 53–58 cm (21–23 in) in length, it has a short crest on the top of its head. Its plumage is mostly greyish black, and it has prominent white cheek patches and a white tail band. The body feathers are edged with white giving a scalloped appearance. Adult males have a dark grey beak and pink eye-rings. Adult females have a bone-coloured beak, grey eye-rings and ear patches that are paler than those of the males.
  
  This cockatoo usually lays a clutch of one to two eggs. It generally takes 28 to 29 days for the female to incubate the eggs, and the young fledge ten to eleven weeks after hatching. The young will stay with the family until the next breeding season, and sometimes even longer. The family leaves the nesting site after the young fledge until the following year. Carnaby's black cockatoo forms flocks when not breeding, with birds in drier habitats usually being more migratory than those in wetter ones. It flies with deep and slow wingbeats, generally high above trees. Seeds of plants of the families Proteaceae and, to a lesser extent, Myrtaceae form a large part of its diet.
  
  Carnaby's black cockatoo nests in hollows situated high in trees with fairly large diameters, generally Eucalyptus. With much of its habitat lost to land clearing and development and threatened by further habitat destruction, Carnaby's black cockatoo is listed as an endangered species by the Federal and Western Australian governments. It is also classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Like most parrots, it is protected by CITES, an international agreement that makes trade, export, and import of listed wild-caught species illegal. (Full article...)
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  Adult of subspecies P. m. saturatus in Japan

  
  The Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) is a passerine bird in the sparrow family with a rich chestnut crown and nape and a black patch on each pure white cheek. The sexes are similarly plumaged, and young birds are a duller version of the adult. This sparrow breeds over most of temperate Eurasia and Southeast Asia, where it is known as the tree sparrow, and it has been introduced elsewhere including the United States, where it is known as the Eurasian tree sparrow or German sparrow to differentiate it from the native unrelated American tree sparrow. Although several subspecies are recognised, the appearance of this bird varies little across its extensive range.
  
  The Eurasian tree sparrow's untidy nest is built in a natural cavity, a hole in a building, or the disused nest of a European magpie or white stork. The typical clutch is five or six eggs which hatch in under two weeks. This sparrow feeds mainly on seeds, but invertebrates are also consumed, particularly during the breeding season. As with other small birds, infection by parasites and diseases, and predation by birds of prey take their toll, and the typical life span is about two years.
  
  The Eurasian tree sparrow is widespread in the towns and cities of eastern Asia, but in Europe, it is a bird of lightly wooded open countryside, with the house sparrow breeding in the more urban areas. The Eurasian tree sparrow's extensive range and large population ensure that it is not endangered globally, but there have been large declines in western European populations, in part due to changes in farming practices involving increased use of herbicides and loss of winter stubble fields. In eastern Asia and western Australia, this species is sometimes viewed as a pest, although it is also widely celebrated in oriental art. (Full article...)
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  In Buenos Aires

  
  The white-rumped swallow (Tachycineta leucorrhoa) is a species of bird in the family Hirundinidae. First described and given its binomial name by French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot in 1817, it was for many years considered a subspecies of the Chilean swallow. The species is monotypic with no known population variations. It has a white supraloral streak, or streak above its lores (the region between a bird's eye and nostrils), which can be used to differentiate it from the Chilean swallow. The lores, ear coverts, tail, and wings are black, with white tips on the inner secondaries, tertials, and greater coverts of the wings. The rest of the upperparts are a glossy blue. Its underparts and underwing-coverts are white, in addition to the rump, as the name suggests. The sexes are similar, and the juvenile is duller and browner with a dusky breast.
  
  This species usually builds its nest in holes in trees or dead snags or under or in artificial structures like fence posts and the eaves of buildings. The white-rumped swallow is solitary and nests in distributed pairs during the breeding season. The breeding season is from October to December in Brazil and from October to February in neighboring Argentina. Usually, only one brood with four to seven eggs is laid, although a second one will occasionally be laid. The female incubates the eggs over a period usually between 15 and 16 days, with the fledging usually occurring between 21 and 25 days after hatching.
  
  This swallow is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay. Its natural habitats are: (Full article...)
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  Looking north across the reserve

  
  Cley Marshes is a 176-hectare (430-acre) nature reserve on the North Sea coast of England just outside the village of Cley next the Sea, Norfolk. A reserve since 1926, it is the oldest of the reserves belonging to the Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT), which is itself the oldest county Wildlife Trust in the United Kingdom. Cley Marshes protects an area of reed beds, freshwater marsh, pools and wet meadows and is part of the North Norfolk Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Area (SPA), and Ramsar Site due to the large numbers of birds it attracts.
  
  The reserve is important for some scarce breeding species, such as pied avocets on the islands, and western marsh harriers, Eurasian bitterns and bearded reedlings in the reeds, and is also a major migration stopoff and wintering site. There are also several nationally or locally scarce invertebrates and plants specialised for this coastal habitat. It has five bird hides and an environmentally friendly visitor centre and further expansion is planned through the acquisition of neighbouring land and improvements to visitor facilities.
  
  The site has a long history of human occupation, from prehistoric farming to its use as a prisoner of war camp in the Second World War. The reserve attracts large numbers of visitors, contributing significantly to the economy of Cley village. Despite centuries of embankment to reclaim land and protect the village, the marshes have been flooded many times, and the southward march of the coastal shingle bank and encroachment by the sea make it inevitable that the reserve will eventually be lost. New wetlands are being created further inland to compensate for the loss of coastal habitats. (Full article...)
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  With roadkill, Collinsvale, Tasmania

  
  The forest raven (Corvus tasmanicus), also commonly known as the Tasmanian raven, is a passerine bird in the family Corvidae native to Tasmania and parts of southern Victoria, such as Wilsons Promontory and Portland. Populations are also found in parts of New South Wales, including Dorrigo and Armidale. Measuring 50–53 cm (20–21 in) in length, it has all-black plumage, beak and legs. As with the other two species of raven in Australia, its black feathers have grey bases. Adults have white irises; younger birds have dark brown and then hazel irises with an inner blue rim. New South Wales populations are recognised as a separate subspecies C. tasmanicus boreus, but appear to be nested within the Tasmanian subspecies genetically.
  
  The forest raven lives in a wide variety of habitats in Tasmania but is restricted to more closed forest on mainland Australia. Breeding takes place in spring and summer, occurring later in Tasmania than in New South Wales. The nest is a bowl-shaped structure of sticks sited high in a tree. An omnivorous and opportunistic feeder, the forest raven eats a wide variety of plant and animal material, as well as food waste from urban areas and roadkill. It has been blamed for killing lambs and poultry and raiding orchards in Tasmania, and is unprotected under Tasmanian legislation. The forest raven is sedentary, with pairs generally bonding for life and establishing permanent territories. (Full article...)
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  Male T. m. merula

  
  The common blackbird (Turdus merula) is a species of true thrush. It is also called the Eurasian blackbird (especially in North America, to distinguish it from the unrelated New World blackbirds), or simply the blackbird where this does not lead to confusion with a similar-looking local species. It breeds in Europe, western Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to Australia and New Zealand. It has a number of subspecies across its large range; a few former Asian subspecies are now widely treated as separate species. Depending on latitude, the common blackbird may be resident, partially migratory, or fully migratory.
  
  The adult male of the common blackbird (Turdus merula merula, the nominate subspecies), which is found throughout most of Europe, is all black except for a yellow eye-ring and bill and has a rich, melodious song; the adult female and juvenile have mainly dark brown plumage. This species breeds in woods and gardens, building a neat, cup-shaped nest, bound together with mud. It is omnivorous, eating a wide range of insects, earthworms, berries, and fruits.
  
  Both sexes are territorial on the breeding grounds, with distinctive threat displays, but are more gregarious during migration and in wintering areas. Pairs stay in their territory throughout the year where the climate is sufficiently temperate. This common and conspicuous species has given rise to a number of literary and cultural references, frequently related to its song. (Full article...)
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  C. a. brasiliensis
  Peten, Guatemala

  
  The black vulture (Coragyps atratus), also known as the American black vulture, Mexican vulture, zopilote, urubu, or gallinazo, is a bird in the New World vulture family whose range extends from the southeastern United States to Perú, Central Chile and Uruguay in South America. Although a common and widespread species, it has a somewhat more restricted distribution than its compatriot, the turkey vulture, which breeds well into Canada and all the way south to Tierra del Fuego. It is the only extant member of the genus Coragyps, which is in the family Cathartidae. Despite the similar name and appearance, this species is not closely related to the Eurasian black vulture, an Old World vulture, of the family Accipitridae (which includes raptors like the eagles, hawks, kites, and harriers). For ease of locating animal corpses (their main source of sustenance), black vultures tend to inhabit relatively open areas with scattered trees, such as chaparral, in addition to subtropical forested areas and parts of the Brazilian pantanal.
  
  With a wingspan of 1.5 m (4.9 ft), the black vulture is an imposing bird, though relatively small for a vulture, let alone a raptor. It has black plumage, a featherless, grayish-black head and neck, and a short, hooked beak. These features are all evolutionary adaptations to life as a scavenger; their black plumage stays visibly cleaner than that of a lighter-colored bird, the bare head is designed for easily digging inside animal carcasses, and the hooked beak is built for stripping the bodies clean of meat. The absence of head-feathers helps the birds stay clean and remain (more or less) free of animal blood and bodily fluids, which could become problematic for the vultures and attract parasites; most vultures are known to bathe after eating, provided there is a water source. This water source can be natural or man-made, such as a stream or a livestock water tank.
  
  The black vulture is a scavenger and feeds on carrion, but will also eat eggs, small reptiles, or small newborn animals (livestock such as cattle, or deer, rodents, rabbits, etc.), albeit very rarely. They will also opportunistically prey on extremely weakened, sick, elderly, or otherwise vulnerable animals. In areas populated by humans, it also scavenges at dumpster sites and garbage dumps. It finds its meals either by using its keen eyesight or by following other (New World) vultures, which all possess a keen sense of smell. Lacking a syrinx—the vocal organ of birds—its only vocalizations are grunts or low hisses. It lays its eggs in caves, in cliffside rock crevasses, dead and hollow trees or, in the absence of predators, on the bare ground, generally raising two chicks each year. The parents feed their young by regurgitation from their crop, an additional digestive organ unique to birds, used for storing excess food; their “infant formula”, of sorts, is thus called “crop milk”. In the United States, the vulture receives legal protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 despite the fact it does not migrate whatsoever. This vulture also appeared in Mayan codices. (Full article...)
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  S. e. caesia in Central Europe

  Song recorded in Surrey, England

  Call recorded in Surrey, England

  
  The Eurasian nuthatch or wood nuthatch (Sitta europaea) is a small passerine bird found throughout the Palearctic and in Europe. Like other nuthatches, it is a short-tailed bird with a long bill, blue-gray upperparts and a black eye-stripe. It is a vocal bird with a repeated loud dwip call. There are more than 20 subspecies in three main groups; birds in the west of the range have orange-buff underparts and a white throat, those in Russia have whitish underparts, and those in the east have a similar appearance to European birds, but lack the white throat.
  
  Its preferred habitat is mature deciduous or mixed woodland with large, old trees, preferably oak. Pairs hold permanent territories, and nest in tree holes, usually old woodpecker nests, but sometimes natural cavities. If the entrance to the hole is too large, the female plasters it with mud to reduce its size, and often coats the inside of the cavity too. The six to nine red-speckled white eggs are laid on a deep base of pine or other wood chips.
  
  The Eurasian nuthatch eats mainly insects , particularly caterpillars and beetles, although in autumn and winter its diet is supplemented with nuts and seeds. The young are fed mainly on insects, with some seeds, food items mainly being found on tree trunks and large branches. The nuthatch can forage when descending trees head first, as well as when climbing. It readily visits bird tables, eating fatty man-made food items as well as seeds. It is an inveterate hoarder, storing food year-round. Its main natural predator is the Eurasian sparrowhawk. (Full article...)
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  The black-and-yellow broadbill (Eurylaimus ochromalus) is a species of bird in the typical broadbill family Eurylaimidae. A small, distinctive species, it has a black head, breastband, and upperparts, a white neckband, yellow streaking on the back and wings, and vinous-pink underparts that turn yellow towards the belly. The beak is bright blue, with a green tip to the upper mandible and black edges. It shows some sexual dimorphism, with the black breastband being incomplete in females.
  
  Native to Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand, it inhabits evergreen forest, dipterocarp forest, swamp forest, heath forest, and forest edge, along with secondary forest and plantations that contain large trees. Mainly inhabiting lowlands, the species is found up to elevations of 1,220 m (4,000 ft). The black-and-yellow broadbill is mainly insectivorous, but also feeds on molluscs and incidentally takes fruit.
  
  The black-and-yellow broadbill breeds during the dry season throughout its range, with both sexes helping build a large, untidy, pear-shaped nest out of moss, fungal mycelia, and leaves. Eggs are laid in clutches of two or three, sometimes containing a fourth runt egg, and are incubated by both sexes. The species is listed as near-threatened by the IUCN because of a decline in its population caused by habitat loss. (Full article...)
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  Specimen in Musée Cantonal de Zoologie, Lausanne

  
  The hoopoe starling (Fregilupus varius), also known as the Réunion starling or Bourbon crested starling, is a species of starling that lived on the Mascarene island of Réunion and became extinct in the 1850s. Its closest relatives were the also-extinct Rodrigues starling and Mauritius starling from nearby islands, and the three apparently originated in south-east Asia. The bird was first mentioned during the 17th century and was long thought to be related to the hoopoe, from which its name is derived. Some affinities have been proposed, but it was confirmed as a starling in a DNA study.
  
  The hoopoe starling was 30 cm (12 in) in length. Its plumage was primarily white and grey, with its back, wings and tail a darker brown and grey. It had a light, mobile crest, which curled forwards. The bird is thought to have been sexually dimorphic, with males larger and having more curved beaks. The juveniles were more brown than the adults. Little is known about hoopoe starling behaviour. Reportedly living in large flocks, it inhabited humid areas and marshes. The hoopoe starling was omnivorous, feeding on plant matter and insects. Its pelvis was robust, its feet and claws large, and its jaws strong, indicating that it foraged near the ground.
  
  The birds were hunted by settlers on Réunion, who also kept them as pets. Nineteen specimens exist in museums around the world. The hoopoe starling was reported to be in decline by the early 19th century and was probably extinct before the 1860s. Several factors have been proposed, including competition and predation by introduced species, disease, deforestation, and persecution by humans, who hunted it for food and as an alleged crop pest. (Full article...)
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  Bradley, his deputy's badge visible on the left side of his chest

  
  Guy Morrell Bradley (April 25, 1870 – July 8, 1905) was an American game warden and deputy sheriff for Monroe County, Florida. Born in Chicago, Illinois, he relocated to Florida with his family when he was young. As a boy, he often served as guide to visiting fishermen and plume hunters, although he later denounced poaching after legislation was passed to protect the dwindling number of birds. In 1902, Bradley was hired by the American Ornithologists' Union, at the request of the Florida Audubon Society, to become one of the country's first game wardens.
  
  Tasked with protecting the area's wading birds from hunters, he patrolled the area stretching from Florida's west coast, through the Everglades, to Key West, single-handedly enforcing the ban on bird hunting. Bradley was shot and killed in the line of duty, after confronting a man and his two sons who were hunting egrets in the Everglades. His much-publicized death at the age of 35 galvanized conservationists and served as inspiration for future legislation to protect Florida's bird populations. Several national awards and places have been named in his honor. (Full article...)
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  Adult in Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, New York

  
  The tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) is a migratory bird of the family Hirundinidae. Found in the Americas, the tree swallow was first described in 1807 by French ornithologist Louis Vieillot as Hirundo bicolor. It has since been moved to its current genus, Tachycineta, within which its phylogenetic placement is debated. The tree swallow has glossy blue-green upperparts, with the exception of the blackish wings and tail, and white underparts. The bill is black, the eyes dark brown, and the legs and feet pale brown. The female is generally duller than the male, and the first-year female has mostly brown upperparts, with some blue feathers. Juveniles have brown upperparts, and grey-brown-washed breasts. The tree swallow breeds in the US and Canada. It winters along southern US coasts south, along the Gulf Coast, to Panama and the northwestern coast of South America, and in the West Indies.
  
  The tree swallow nests either in isolated pairs or loose groups, in both natural and artificial cavities. Breeding can start as soon as early May, although this date is occurring earlier because of climate change, and it can end as late as July. This bird is generally socially monogamous (although about 8% of males are polygynous), with high levels of extra-pair paternity. This can benefit the male, but since the female controls copulation, the lack of resolution on how this behaviour benefits females makes the high level of extra-pair paternity puzzling. The female incubates the clutch of two to eight (but usually four to seven) pure white eggs for around 14 to 15 days. The chicks hatch slightly asynchronously, allowing the female to prioritize which chicks to feed in times of food shortage. They generally fledge about 18 to 22 days after hatching. The tree swallow is sometimes considered a model organism, due to the large amount of research done on it.
  
  An aerial insectivore, the tree swallow forages both alone and in groups, eating mostly insects, in addition to molluscs, spiders, and fruit. The nestlings, like the adult, primarily eat insects, fed to it by both sexes. This swallow is vulnerable to parasites, but, when on nestlings, these do little damage. The effect of disease can become stronger as a tree swallow gets older, as some parts of the immune system decline with age. Acquired T cell-mediated immunity, for example, decreases with age, whereas both innate and acquired humoral immunity do not. Because of its large range and stable population, the tree swallow is considered to be least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In the US, it is protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, and in Canada by the Migratory Birds Convention Act. This swallow is negatively affected by human activities, such as the clearing of forests; acidified lakes can force a breeding tree swallow to go long distances to find calcium-rich food items to feed to its chicks. (Full article...)
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  Adult of nominate subspecies in Switzerland

  
  The Alpine chough (/ˈtʃʌf/) or yellow-billed chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) is a bird in the crow family, one of only two species in the genus Pyrrhocorax. Its two subspecies breed in high mountains from Spain eastwards through southern Europe and North Africa to Central Asia and Nepal, and it may nest at a higher altitude than any other bird. The eggs have adaptations to the thin atmosphere that improve oxygen take-up and reduce water loss.
  
  This bird has glossy black plumage, a yellow beak, red legs, and distinctive calls. It has a buoyant acrobatic flight with widely spread flight feathers. The Alpine chough pairs for life and displays fidelity to its breeding site, which is usually a cave or crevice in a cliff face. It builds a lined stick nest and lays three to five brown-blotched whitish eggs. It feeds, usually in flocks, on short grazed grassland, taking mainly invertebrate prey in summer and fruit in winter; it will readily approach tourist sites to find supplementary food.
  
  Although it is subject to predation and parasitism, and changes in agricultural practices have caused local population declines, this widespread and abundant species is not threatened globally. Climate change may present a long-term threat, by shifting the necessary Alpine habitat to higher altitudes. (Full article...)
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  Adult, subsp. personata, Midway Atoll

  
  The masked booby (Sula dactylatra), also called the masked gannet or the blue-faced booby, is a large seabird of the booby and gannet family, Sulidae. First described by the French naturalist René-Primevère Lesson in 1831, the masked booby is one of six species of booby in the genus Sula. It has a typical sulid body shape, with a long pointed yellowish bill, long neck, aerodynamic body, long slender wings and pointed tail. The adult is bright white with black wings, a black tail and a dark face mask; at 75–85 cm (30–33 in) long, it is the largest species of booby. The sexes have similar plumage. This species ranges across tropical oceans, except in the eastern Atlantic and eastern Pacific. In the latter, it is replaced by the Nazca booby (Sula granti), which was formerly regarded as a subspecies of masked booby.
  
  Nesting takes place in colonies, generally on islands and atolls far from the mainland and close to deep water required for foraging. Territorial when breeding, the masked booby performs agonistic displays to defend its nest. Potential and mated pairs engage in courtship and greeting displays. The female lays two chalky white eggs in a shallow depression on flat ground away from vegetation. The chicks are born featherless, but are soon covered in white down. The second chick born generally does not survive and is killed by its elder sibling. These birds are spectacular plunge divers, plunging into the ocean at high speed in search of prey—mainly flying fish. The species faces few threats; although its population is declining, it is considered to be a least-concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). (Full article...)
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  Bald eagle preparing to fly at Kachemak Bay in Alaska, United States

  
  The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), which occupies the same niche as the bald eagle in the Palearctic. Its range includes most of Canada and Alaska, all of the contiguous United States, and northern Mexico. It is found near large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply and old-growth trees for nesting.
  
  The bald eagle is an opportunistic feeder which subsists mainly on fish, which it swoops down upon and snatches from the water with its talons. It builds the largest nest of any North American bird and the largest tree nests ever recorded for any animal species, up to 4 m (13 ft) deep, 2.5 m (8.2 ft) wide, and 1 metric ton (1.1 short tons) in weight. Sexual maturity is attained at the age of four to five years.
  
  Bald eagles are not bald; the name derives from an older meaning of the word, "white headed". The adult is mainly brown with a white head and tail. The sexes are identical in plumage, but females are about 25 percent larger than males. The yellow beak is large and hooked. The plumage of the immature is brown. (Full article...)
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  Male (above) and female (below)

  
  The crescent honeyeater (Phylidonyris pyrrhopterus) is a passerine bird of the honeyeater family Meliphagidae native to southeastern Australia. A member of the genus Phylidonyris, it is most closely related to the common New Holland honeyeater (P. novaehollandiae) and the white-cheeked honeyeater (P. niger). Two subspecies are recognized, with P. p. halmaturinus restricted in range to Kangaroo Island and the Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia.
  
  It has dark grey plumage and paler underparts, highlighted by yellow wing-patches and a broad, black crescent, outlined in white, down the sides of its breast. The species exhibits slight sexual dimorphism, with the female being duller in colour than the male. Juvenile birds are similar to the female, though the yellow wing-patches of male nestlings can be easily distinguished.
  
  The male has a complex and variable song, which is heard throughout the year. It sings from an exposed perch, and during the breeding season performs song flights. The crescent honeyeater is found in areas of dense vegetation including sclerophyll forest and alpine habitats, as well as heathland, and parks and gardens, where its diet is made up of nectar and invertebrates. It forms long-term pairs, and often stays committed to one breeding site for several years. The female builds the nest and does most of the caring for the two to three young, which become independent within 40 days of laying its egg. (Full article...)
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  The Goldfinch (Dutch: Het puttertje) is a painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Carel Fabritius of a life-sized chained goldfinch. Signed and dated 1654, it is now in the collection of the Mauritshuis in The Hague, Netherlands. The work is a trompe-l'œil oil on panel measuring 33.5 by 22.8 centimetres (13.2 in × 9.0 in) that was once part of a larger structure, perhaps a window jamb or a protective cover. It is possible that the painting was in its creator's workshop in Delft at the time of the gunpowder explosion that killed him and destroyed much of the city.
  
  A common and colourful bird with a pleasant song, the goldfinch was a popular pet, and could be taught simple tricks including lifting a thimble-sized bucket of water. It was reputedly a bringer of good health, and was used in Italian Renaissance painting as a symbol of Christian redemption and the Passion of Jesus.
  
  The Goldfinch is unusual for the Dutch Golden Age painting period in the simplicity of its composition and use of illusionary techniques. Following the death of its creator, it was lost for more than two centuries before its rediscovery in Brussels. (Full article...)
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  Common house martin (Delichon urbicum)

  
  Delichon is a small genus of passerine birds that belongs to the swallow family and contains four species called house martins. These are chunky, bull-headed and short-tailed birds, blackish-blue above with a contrasting white rump, and with white or grey underparts. They have feathering on the toes and tarsi that is characteristic of this genus. The house martins are closely related to other swallows that build mud nests, particularly the Hirundo barn swallows. They breed only in Europe, Asia and the mountains of North Africa. Three species, the common, Siberian and Asian house martins, migrate south in winter, while the Nepal house martin is resident in the Himalayas year-round.
  
  The house martins nest in colonies on cliffs or buildings, constructing feather- or grass-lined mud nests. The typical clutch is two or three white eggs; both parents build the nest, incubate the eggs and feed the chicks. These martins are aerial hunters of small insects such as flies and aphids. Despite their flying skills the Delichon martins are sometimes caught by fast-flying birds of prey. They may carry fleas or internal parasites. None of the species are considered threatened, although widespread reductions in common house martin numbers have been reported from central and northern Europe. This decline is due to factors including poor weather, poisoning by agricultural pesticides, lack of mud for nest building and competition with house sparrows for nest sites. (Full article...)
• 
  
  

  

  near Bredstedt, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

  
  The western house martin (Delichon urbicum), sometimes called the common house martin, northern house martin or, particularly in Europe, just house martin, is a migratory passerine bird of the swallow family which breeds in Europe, north Africa and across the Palearctic; and winters in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical Asia. It feeds on insects which are caught in flight, and it migrates to climates where flying insects are plentiful. It has a blue head and upperparts, white rump and pure white underparts, and is found in both open country and near human habitation. It is similar in appearance to the two other martin species of the genus Delichon, which are both endemic to eastern and southern Asia. It has two accepted subspecies.
  
  Both the scientific and colloquial name of the bird are related to its use of human-made structures. It builds a closed cup nest from mud pellets under eaves or similar locations on buildings usually in colonies.
  
  It is hunted by the Eurasian hobby (Falco subbuteo), and like other birds is affected by internal parasites and external fleas and mites. Although its large range and population mean that it is not threatened globally. (Full article...)

Selected general bird topic

The Berlin specimen of Archaeopteryx lithographica

The scientific question of within which larger group of animals birds evolved has traditionally been called the "origin of birds". The present scientific consensus is that birds are a group of maniraptoran theropod dinosaurs that originated during the Mesozoic Era.

A close relationship between birds and dinosaurs was first proposed in the nineteenth century after the discovery of the primitive bird Archaeopteryx in Germany. Birds and extinct non-avian dinosaurs share many unique skeletal traits. Moreover, fossils of more than thirty species of non-avian dinosaur with preserved feathers have been collected. There are even very small dinosaurs, such as Microraptor and Anchiornis, which have long, vaned arm and leg feathers forming wings. The Jurassic basal avialan Pedopenna also shows these long foot feathers. Paleontologist Lawrence Witmer concluded in 2009 that this evidence is sufficient to demonstrate that avian evolution went through a four-winged stage. Fossil evidence also demonstrates that birds and dinosaurs shared features such as hollow, pneumatized bones, gastroliths in the digestive system, nest-building, and brooding behaviors. (Full article...)

Selected taxon

Dodo and Rodrigues solitaire skeletons compared, not to scale

The Raphinae are a clade of extinct flightless birds formerly called didines or didine birds. They inhabited the Mascarene Islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues, but became extinct through hunting by humans and predation by introduced non-native mammals following human colonisation in the 17th century. Historically, many different groups have been named for both the dodo and the Rodrigues solitaire, not all grouping them together. Most recently, it is considered that the two birds can be classified in Columbidae, often under the subfamily Raphinae. The first person to suggest a close affinity to the doves was Johannes Theodor Reinhardt, whose opinions were then supported by Hugh Edwin Strickland and Alexander Gordon Melville.

Recent extractions of DNA from the dodo and Rodrigues solitaire, as well as 37 species of doves, has found where in Columbidae the raphines should be placed. Raphines are not the most primitive columbid, instead they are grouped with the Nicobar pigeon as their closest relative, with other closely related birds being the crowned pigeons and tooth-billed pigeon. A third raphine, Raphus solitarius, is now considered to be an ibis in the genus Threskiornis.

Both the Rodrigues solitaire and the dodo are now extinct. A common threshold of the extinction of the dodo is 1662, but some possible sightings had been made as late as 1688. The last sighting with a description was in 1662, but a statistical analysis by Roberts and Solow found that the extinction of the dodo was in 1693. The Rodrigues solitaire was killed off later than the dodo. The IUCN uses an extinction date of 1778 for the solitaire, although a more probable date would be in the 1750s or 1760s. Both birds became extinct as a consequence of human hunting and the introduction of mammals that ate the birds and their eggs. (Full article...)

Topics

Anatomy:   Anatomy • Skeleton • Flight • Eggs • Feathers • Plumage

Evolution and extinction:   Evolution • Archaeopteryx • Hybridisation • Late Quaternary prehistoric birds • Fossils • Taxonomy • Extinction

Behaviour:   Singing • Intelligence • Migration • Reproduction • Nesting • Incubation • Brood parasites

Bird orders:   Struthioniformes • Tinamiformes • Anseriformes • Accipitriformes • Galliformes • Gaviiformes • Podicipediformes • Procellariiformes • Sphenisciformes • Pelecaniformes • Ciconiiformes • Phoenicopteriformes • Falconiformes • Gruiformes • Charadriiformes • Pteroclidiformes • Columbiformes • Psittaciformes • Cuculiformes • Strigiformes • Caprimulgiformes • Apodiformes • Coraciiformes • Piciformes • Trogoniformes • Coliiformes • Passeriformes

Bird lists:   Families and orders • Lists by region

Birds and humans:   Ringing • Ornithology • Bird collections • Birdwatching • Birdfeeding • Conservation • Aviculture

Quotes

“ When thou seest an eagle, thou seest a portion of genius; lift up thy head! ”

--William Blake,

...All quotes

Resources

Free online resources:

• SORA: The Searchable Online Research Archive (SORA) has decades worth of archives of the following journals: The Auk, The Condor, Journal of Field Ornithology, North American Bird Bander, Studies in Avian Biology, Pacific Coast Avifauna, and The Wilson Bulletin. Coverage ends around 2000. The ability to search all journals or browse exists on the front page.
• Notornis: The Journal of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand covers New Zealand and the South Pacific.
• New Zealand Journal of Ecology: This journal often publishes bird-related articles. Like Notornis, this journal is concerned with New Zealand and surrounding areas.
• Marine Ornithology: Published by the numerous seabird research groups, Marine Ornithology is specific and goes back many years.
• BirdLife International: The Data Zone has species accounts for every species, although threatened species and some key groups have greater detail with others only having status and evaluation.
• Author Index: This is a good source for binomial authorities for taxoboxes.

There is also Birds of North America, Cornell University's massive project collecting information on every breeding bird in the ABA area. It is available for US$40 a year.

For more sources, including printed sources, see WikiProject Birds.

WikiProjects

• WikiProject Birds
• WikiProject Science
• WikiProject History of Science
• WikiProject Tree of Life
• WikiProject Biology
• WikiProject Ecology
• WikiProject Extinction

Selected images

• 
  Protonotaria citrea

  The prothonotary warbler (Protonotaria citrea) is a small songbird of the New World warbler family. It breeds in hardwood swamps in southern Canada and the eastern United States and winters in the West Indies, Central America and northern South America.
• 
  Wood Duck

  Photograph: David Iliff

  The Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) is a species of duck, with adults averaging 47 to 54 cm (19 to 21 in) in length with a wingspan of 66 to 73 cm (26 to 29 in). Owing to their attractive colouration, the ducks have often been brought to Britain from their native North America; this specimen was photographed at St. James's Park in London.
• 
  Black Phoebe

  Photo credit: Matthew Field

  The Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) is a distinctive tyrant flycatcher native to western North America, ranging from southwestern Oregon and California to west Texas and northern Mexico. In South America, it can be found in the Andes mountain region, ranging from Colombia in the north, south to northern Argentina. The Black Phoebe reaches a length of 5.75 in (14.6 cm), and unlike other phoebes, has highly contrasting plumage, dark brown or black on most of the body, with white on the underbelly and under the wings.
• 
  Chinese goose head at List of goose breeds
• 
  Predation

  Photo credit: Steve Jurvetson

  A juvenile Red-tailed Hawk eating a California Vole. This act, called predation, is a biological interaction where a predator species kills and eats others, known as prey. Predators are either carnivores or omnivores. Herbivores are usually treated separately, but from an ecological perspective, the activities of the herbivorous species that kill the organism they feed on is functionally the same as predation.
• 
  Malurus cyaneus cyanochlamys, juvenile
• 
  Red-whiskered bulbul
• 
  Rooster at Chicken
• 
  Rufous Whistler

  Photo: Fir0002

  The Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris, male shown here) is a species of whistler found in New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, and throughout Australia (with the exception of Tasmania). Predominantly a reddish-brown and grey bird, it has a variety of musical calls.
• 
  Female mallard in mid-flight at Flying and gliding animals
• 
  Long-billed curlew
• 
  Marabou Stork

  Photograph: Muhammad Mahdi Karim

  The Marabou Stork (Leptoptilos crumeniferus) is an African wading bird which feeds mostly on carrion. With a wingspan verified to reach 3.19 m (10.5 ft), it has one of the largest wingspans of any land bird. This specimen was found in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania.
• 
  Northern gannets
• 
  Bald eagle at Bird of prey
• 
  Crested myna

  Photograph credit: Laitche

  The crested myna (Acridotheres cristatellus), also known as the Chinese starling, is a species of starling in the genus Acridotheres native to southeastern China and Indochina. It is named after the tuft of feathers on its forehead that resembles a crest. The crested myna is typically found in open spaces near urban and agricultural areas. It is a popular cage-bird and, as a result, has been accidentally released in a few places outside of its usual range. For example, this species was introduced around 1890 into the Vancouver region of British Columbia, Canada. Like many starlings, the crested myna is omnivorous. It will eat a variety of food including worms, grub, grains, fruit, and even garbage. It is a highly beneficial bird to farmers as it predates on insects and does not attack crops.
  
  This picture shows a crested myna photographed in Osaka, Japan.
• 
  Masked Lapwing

  Photo: JJ Harrison

  The Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles, ssp. novaehollandiae shown), also known as the Spur-winged Plover, is a common and conspicuous bird native to northern and eastern Australia, as well as New Zealand. They are most common around the edges of wetlands and in other moist, open environments, but are adaptable and can often be found in surprisingly arid areas.
• 
  Roadside Hawk

  Photo: Wagner Machado Carlos Lemes

  The Roadside Hawk (Buteo magnirostris) is a relatively small bird of prey. Specimens normally range from 31 to 41 centimetres (12 to 16 in) in length and weigh 250–300 grams (8.8–10.6 oz). The Roadside Hawk is common throughout its range: from Mexico through Central America to most of South America east of the Andes. It is well adapted to most ecosystems in its range, and can also be found in urban areas. Its diet consists mainly of insects, squamates, and small mammals, such as young common marmosets and similarly sized monkeys.
• 
  Double-crested cormorant
• 
  Mallard

  Photo: Richard Bartz

  A pair of Mallards, an easily recognized species of dabbling duck that is found throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, as well as Australia and New Zealand. The male birds have a bright green head (during breeding season) and are grey on wings and belly, while the females are brown all over. Both sexes have blue speculum feathers. Mallards live in wetlands, eat water plants and small animals, and are gregarious. This species is the ancestor of almost all of the breeds of domestic ducks.
• 
  American Black Vulture

  Photo credit: Mdf

  The American Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) is a New World vulture which lives from the southeastern United States to South America. Despite the similar name and appearance, this species is unrelated to the Eurasian Black Vulture. With a wingspan of 1.5 m (5 ft) the American Black Vulture is a large bird but is relatively small for a vulture. It has black plumage, a featherless, grayish-black head and neck, and a short, hooked beak.
• 
  Canada goose
• 
  Bassian Thrush

  Photo: JJ Harrison

  The Bassian Thrush (Zoothera lunulata) is a medium-sized mostly insectivorous thrush found predominantly in shrubland, forests, and rainforests of southeastern Australia including Tasmania. It grows to about 28 cm (11 in) in length and about 100 g (3.5 oz) in weight.
• 
  Female mallard and ducklings at Burnaby Lake Regional Park
• 
  White-rumped shama

  Photograph: JJ Harrison

  The white-rumped shama (Copsychus malabaricus) is a small passerine bird of the family Muscicapidae. Native to densely vegetated habitats in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, its popularity as a cage-bird and songster has led to it being introduced elsewhere. The species feeds on insects in the wild, but in captivity may be fed a diet of boiled, dried legumes with egg yolk and raw meat.
• 
  Feather

  Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, of birds. They are the outstanding characteristic that distinguishes the class Aves from all other living groups.
• 
  Greater Yellowlegs

  Photo credit: Mike Baird

  The Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) is a large North American shorebird, similar in appearance to the smaller Lesser Yellowlegs. Its closest relative, however, is the Greenshank, together with which and the Spotted Redshank it forms a close-knit group. They are also the largest shanks apart from the Willet, which is altogether more robustly built.
• 
  European robin

  Photograph: Francis C. Franklin

  The European robin (Erithacus rubecula) is a small insectivorous passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family. Around 12.5–14.0 cm (5.0–5.5 in) in length, the male and female are similar in colouration, with an orange breast and face lined with grey, brown upperparts and a whitish belly. It is found across Europe, east to Western Siberia and south to North Africa; it is sedentary in most of its range except the far north.
• 
  White-breasted nuthatch
• 
  Greylag goose
• 
  Long-tailed Fiscal

  Photograph: Muhammad Mahdi Karim

  Two adult Long-tailed Fiscals in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania. The Long-tailed Fiscal (Lanius cabanisi) is a species of bird in the shrike family Laniidae which is native to Africa. The birds prey on insects and small vertebrates, perching on a tree branch then diving at its target.

Selected bird anatomy topic

Bird anatomy, or the physiological structure of birds' bodies, shows many unique adaptations, mostly aiding flight. Birds have a light skeletal system and light but powerful musculature which, along with circulatory and respiratory systems capable of very high metabolic rates and oxygen supply, permit the bird to fly. The development of a beak has led to evolution of a specially adapted digestive system. (Full article...)

Selected species

The eastern or American goldfinch (Carduelis tristis), also known as the wild canary, is a North American bird in the finch family. It is migratory, ranging from southern Canada to North Carolina during the breeding season, and from just south of the Canadian border to Mexico during the winter. The American goldfinch displays sexual dimorphism in its coloration; the male is a vibrant yellow in the summer and an olive color during the winter months, while the female is a dull yellow-brown shade which brightens only slightly during the summer. The male displays brightly colored plumage during the breeding season to attract a mate. The American goldfinch is granivorous and adapted for the consumption of seedheads, with a conical beak to remove the seeds and agile feet to grip the stems of seedheads while feeding. It is a social bird, and will gather in large flocks while feeding and migrating. Its breeding season is tied to the peak of food supply, beginning in late July, which is relatively late in the year for a finch. Human activity has generally benefited the American goldfinch.

Did you know

• ...that sexual size dimorphism in the brown songlark is among the most pronounced in any bird, with males as much as 2.3 times heavier than females?
• ...that rufous whistler birds, unlike all other whistler birds, never forage on the ground but high up in trees or other high places?
• ...that the bill of the magpie duck (pictured) becomes green as the bird gets older, and its black crown may go completely white?

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Here are some tasks awaiting attention: Article requests : Endemic birds of Papua New Guinea (more) Cleanup : Bullfinch • Vesper sparrow • Bird flight • Bird bath (more) Copyedit : Plushcap • Magpie duck • Saker falcon (more) Expand : Phalarope • Nidicolous • Gouldian finch • Cathartes • Cnemophilidae • Avian malaria (more) NPOV : Debeaking • Driven grouse shooting • Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital (more) Stubs : Cathartiformes • Semiplumbeous hawk • Rainbow-bearded Thornbill • Sunda scops owl (more) Update : Coal tit • Scottish crossbill • New Caledonian lorikeet • Operation Migration (more) Verify : Argus (bird) • Blyth's frogmouth • Nik Borrow • Pytilia • Fregata • Chestnut-headed tesia • Darter • Pallid scops owl • Starling (more) Wikify : Ninox boobook ocellata • The Institute for Bird Populations (more) Other : Add photos to bird articles needing photos (search Flickr for free images). Add taxonomic authorities to genus articles.

More outstanding tasks at the project's cleanup listing, Category:Birds articles needing attention, and Wikipedia:WikiProject Birds/Todo.

Taxonomy of Aves

Class Aves, divided into superorders, orders, suborders (where indicated), and families.

Paleognathae Struthioniformes: mainly southern hemisphere; 12 species, 2 extinct Struthionidae: ostrich Casuariidae: emus and cassowaries Apterygidae: kiwis Rheidae: rheas Tinamiformes: South America; 45 species Tinamidae: tinamous Neognathae Anseriformes: worldwide; ~150 species Anhimidae: screamers Anseranatidae: magpie-goose Anatidae: swans, geese and ducks Galliformes: worldwide except northern Eurasia; ~250 species. Megapodidae: mound-builders Cracidae: chachalacas, guans and curassows Tetraonidae: grouse Phasianidae: partridges, pheasants, quail and allies Odontophoridae: New World quails Numididae: guineafowl Meleagrididae: turkeys Mesitornithidae: mesites Sphenisciformes: Antarctic and southern waters; 16 species Spheniscidae: penguins Gaviiformes: North America, Eurasia; 5 species Gaviidae loons or divers Podicipediformes: worldwide; 20 species Podicipedidae: grebes Procellariiformes: pan-oceanic; ~100 species Diomedeidae: albatrosses Procellariidae: fulmars, prions, shearwaters, gadfly and other petrels Pelecanoididae: diving petrels Hydrobatidae: storm petrels Pelecaniformes: worldwide; ~50 species Pelecanidae: pelicans Sulidae: gannets and boobies Phalacrocoracidae: cormorants Fregatidae: frigatebirds Anhingidae: anhinga and darters Phaethontidae: tropicbirds Ciconiiformes: all continents; >100 species. Ardeidae: herons and bitterns Balaenicipitidae: shoebill Scopidae: hammerkop Ciconiidae: storks Threskiornithidae: ibises and spoonbills Phoenicopteridae flamingos Cathartidae: New World vultures and condors - sometimes placed in Falconiformes/Accipitriformes. Falconiformes worldwide; ~260 species. Sometimes all except the falcons are separated as Accipitriformes. Pandionidae: osprey Accipitridae: hawks, eagles, buzzards and Old World vultures, harriers, kites, and allies Sagittaridae: secretarybird Falconidae: falcons Gruiformes: worldwide; ~200 species Gruidae: cranes Aramidae: limpkin Psophiidae: trumpeters Rallidae: rails, crakes, coots and allies Heliornithidae: finfoots and sungrebe Rhynochetidae: kagu Eurypygidae: sunbittern Cariamidae: seriemas Otididae: bustards Charadriiformes: worldwide; >300 species Scolopacidae: typical waders or shorebirds Rostratulidae: painted snipe Jacanidae: jacanas Thinocoridae: seedsnipe Pedionomidae: plains wanderer Laridae: gulls Rhynchopidae: skimmers Sternidae: terns Alcidae: auks Stercorariidae: skuas Glareolidae: coursers and pratincoles Dromadidae: crab plover Turnicidae: buttonquails Burhinidae: thick-knees Chionididae: sheathbills Pluvianellidae: Magellanic plover Ibidorhynchidae: ibisbill Recurvirostridae: avocets and stilts Haematopodidae: oystercatchers Charadriidae: plovers and lapwings Pterocliformes: Africa, Europe, Asia; 16 species Pteroclidae: sandgrouse Columbiformes: worldwide; ~300 species Raphidae: dodo and Rodriguez solitaire Columbidae: pigeons and doves Psittaciformes: pan-tropical, southern temperate zones; ~330 species Cacatuidae: cockatoos Psittacidae: parrots Cuculiformes: worldwide; ~150 species Musophagidae: turacos and allies Cuculidae: cuckoos Opisthocomidae: hoatzin Strigiformes: worldwide; >130 species Tytonidae: barn owls Strigidae: typical owls Caprimulgiformes: worldwide; ~100 species Steatornithidae: oilbird Podargidae: frogmouths Nyctibiidae: potoos Aegothelidae: owlet-nightjars Caprimulgidae: nightjars Apodiformes: worldwide; >400 species Apodidae: swifts Hemiprocnidae: tree swifts Trochilidae: hummingbirds - sometimes separated as Trochiliformes Coliiformes: Sub-Saharan Africa; 6 species Coliidae: mousebirds Trogonidae: trogons and quetzals Coraciiformes: worldwide; ~200 species Alcedinidae: river kingfishers Halcyonidae: tree kingfishers Cerylidae: water or belted kingfishers Todidae: todies Momotidae: motmots Meropidae: bee-eaters Leptosomidae: cuckoo roller Brachypteraciidae: ground rollers Coraciidae: rollers Upupidae: hoopoe Phoeniculidae: woodhoopoes Bucerotidae: hornbills Piciformes: worldwide except Australasia; ~400 species Galbulidae: jacamars Bucconidae: puffbirds Capitonidae: barbets Indicatoridae: honeyguides Ramphastidae: toucans Picidae: woodpeckers Passeriformes: worldwide; >5000 species Suborder Tyranni ("suboscines") Tyrannidae: tyrant flycatchers Acanthisittidae: New Zealand wrens Pittidae: pittas Furnariidae: ovenbirds Thamnophilidae: antbirds Formicariidae: antpittas and antthrushes Conopophagidae: gnateaters Rhinocryptidae: tapaculos Cotingidae: cotingas Pipridae: manakins Philepittidae: asities Suborder 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 alies 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

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