Class - Aves

Phylum: Chordata

Subphylum: Vertebrata

Infraphylum: Gnathostomata

Parvphylum: Osteichthyes

Megaclass: Tetrapoda

Class: Aves

Name derivation: “bird”

Infraclass: Palaeognathae

  • Order: Apterygiformes (kiwis)
  • Order: Casuariiformes (cassowaries, emu)
  • Order: Rheiformes (rheas)
  • Order: Struthioniformes (ostrich)
  • Order: Tinamiformes (tinamous)

Infraclass: Neognathae

  • Order: Accipitriformes (hawks, eagles, kites, vultures, osprey, secretarybird)
  • Order: Anseriformes (waterfowl: ducks, geese, swans, screamers)
  • Order: Apodiformes (hummingbirds, treeswifts, swifts, owlet-nightjars)
  • Order: Bucerotiformes (hoopoes, hornbills)
  • Order: Caprimulgiformes (nightjars, frogmouths, potoos, oilbird)
  • Order: Cariamiformes (seriemas)
  • Order: Charadriiformes (plovers, lapwings, murres, gulls, terns, sandpipers)
  • Order: Ciconiiformes (storks)
  • Order: Coliiformes (mousebirds)
  • Order: Columbiformes (pigeons, doves)
  • Order: Coraciiformes (motmots, kingfishers, rollers, todies, bee-eaters)
  • Order: Cuculiformes (cuckoos)
  • Order: Eurypygiformes (sunbittern, kagu)
  • Order: Falconiformes (falcons, caracaras)
  • Order: Galliformes (landfowl: pheasants, grouse, quail, guans)
  • Order: Gaviiformes (loons)
  • Order: Gruiformes (rails, gallinules, coots, cranes)
  • Order: Leptosomiformes (cuckoo-roller)
  • Order: Mesitornithiformes (mesites)
  • Order: Musophagiformes (turacos)
  • Order: Opisthocomiformes (hoatzin)
  • Order: Otidiformes (bustards)
  • Order: Passeriformes (perching birds)
  • Order: Pelecaniformes (pelicans, herons, egrets, ibises, spoonbills)
  • Order: Phaethontiformes (tropicbirds)
  • Order: Phoenicopteriformes (flamingos)
  • Order: Piciformes (barbets, toucans, honeyguides, woodpeckers)
  • Order: Podicipediformes (grebes)
  • Order: Procellariiformes (albatrosses, petrels, shearwaters)
  • Order: Psittaciformes (parrots, cockatoos)
  • Order: Pterocliformes (sandgrouse)
  • Order: Sphenisciformes (penguins)
  • Order: Strigiformes (barn-owls, owls)
  • Order: Suliformes (frigatebirds, boobies, gannets, cormorants, shags)
  • Order: Trogoniformes (trogons)

Number of Families: 253

Number of Genus: 2,381

Number of known Species: 11,032 (162 extinct)

Earliest Fossil Record:  Late Jurassic 160 mya

Habitat: Terrestrial, Marine, Freshwater

Size Range: 5 cm to 2.7 m

Notes: Taxonomy according to the International Ornithological Congress World Bird List Version 14.1