Infraclass - Neognathae

Class: Aves

Infraclass: Neognathae

Name derivation: "new jaw"

Superorder: 

  • Order: Anseriformes (178 species - waterfowl: ducks, geese, swans, screamers)
  • Order: Galliformes (302 species - landfowl: pheasants, grouse, quail, guans)

Clade: Neoaves

  • Order: Accipitriformes (266 species - hawks, eagles, kites, vultures, osprey, secretarybird)
  • Order: Apodiformes (497 species - hummingbirds, treeswifts, swifts, owlet-nightjars)
  • Order: Bucerotiformes (74 species - hoopoes, hornbills)
  • Order: Caprimulgiformes (121 species - nightjars, frogmouths, potoos, oilbird)
  • Order: Cariamiformes (2 species - seriemas)
  • Order: Charadriiformes (390 species - plovers, lapwings, murres, gulls, terns, sandpipers)
  • Order: Ciconiiformes (19 species - storks)
  • Order: Coliiformes (6 species - mousebirds)
  • Order: Columbiformes (351 species - pigeons, doves)
  • Order: Coraciiformes (184 species - motmots, kingfishers, rollers, todies, bee-eaters)
  • Order: Cuculiformes (150 species - cuckoos)
  • Order: Eurypygiformes (2 species - sunbittern, kagu)
  • Order: Falconiformes (65 species - falcons, caracaras)
  • Order: Gaviiformes (5 species - loons)
  • Order: Gruiformes (188 species - rails, gallinules, coots, cranes)
  • Order: Leptosomiformes (1 species - cuckoo-roller)
  • Order: Mesitornithiformes (3 species - mesites)
  • Order: Musophagiformes (23 species - turacos)
  • Order: Opisthocomiformes (1 species - hoatzin)
  • Order: Otidiformes (26 species - bustards)
  • Order: Passeriformes (6533 species - perching birds)
  • Order: Pelecaniformes (118 species - pelicans, herons, egrets, ibises, spoonbills)
  • Order: Phaethontiformes (3 species - tropicbirds)
  • Order: Phoenicopteriformes (6 species - flamingos)
  • Order: Piciformes (449 species - barbets, toucans, honeyguides, woodpeckers, puffbirds, jacamars)
  • Order: Podicipediformes (23 species - grebes)
  • Order: Procellariiformes (147 species - albatrosses, petrels, shearwaters)
  • Order: Psittaciformes (403 species - parrots, cockatoos)
  • Order: Pterocliformes (16 species - sandgrouse)
  • Order: Sphenisciformes (18 species - penguins)
  • Order: Strigiformes (255 species - barn-owls, owls)
  • Order: Suliformes (61 species - frigatebirds, boobies, gannets, cormorants, shags)
  • Order: Trogoniformes (43 species - trogons)

Number of Families: 249

Number of Genus: 2,367

Number of known Species: 10,973  (162 extinct)

Earliest Fossil Record:  Late Jurassic 160 mya

Habitat: Terrestrial, Marine, Freshwater

Size Range: 5 cm to 1.8 m

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