Bird Orders

Birds belong to the class Aves and live everywhere on Earth. There are about 9,000 different species of birds,
divided about 30 orders. Of those 30 orders, the passerine (perching birds) order has more species in it than all
other bird orders combined. Because there are so many orders, the chart does not include all orders.

Birds belong to the class Aves and live everywhere on Earth. There are about 9,000 different species of birds,
divided into 24 orders and 146 Families.

Animal (Kingdom)

Vertebrate (Phylum) Invertebrate

Bird, or Ave (Class) Mammal Reptile Amphibian Fish

24 (Order)
126 (Family)
(Genus)
9,000 (Species)

To remember the correct order of the classification system, memorize this sentence:

King Phillip Came Over For Good Spaghetti Kingdom, Phyla, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
King Phillip Came Over For Good Spaghetti

For example, here is the classification for the common House Sparrow, or Passer domesticus:
kingdom: animal
phylum: chordate (animals with backbones)
class: bird (egg-layers with feathers)
order: passerine (songbirds)
family: thick-beaked birds such as finches
genus: Passer
species: domesticus

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 Birds
(egg-layers with feathers)

All orders shown below belong to the bird class. Not all inclusive - the bird class is comprised of about 30 orders. The passerine order has more species in it than all other bird orders combined.

Anseriformes Galliformes Gaviiformes Strigiformes Apodiformes Ciconiiformes

Passeriformes (hummingbirds (storks)
(waterfowl) (chicken-like, (loons) (perching songbirds) (owls)
game) and swifts)

Charadriiformes Coraciiformes Falconiformes Phoenicopteri- Psittaciformes Struthioniformes Balaenicipiti-

(waders) (kingfishers) (birds of prey) formes (parrots) (flightless) formes
(large wading) (shoebill)

Piciformes Pelecaniformes Sphenisciformes Columbiformes Caprimulgiformes Cuculiformes Gruiformes

(woodpeckers) (pelicans) (penguins) (doves, pigeons) (nightbirds) (cuckoos) (coots, cranes,
and rails)

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Birds belong to the class Aves and live everywhere on Earth. There are about 9,000 different species of birds,
divided about 30 orders. Of those 30 orders, the passerine (perching birds) order has more species in it than all
other bird orders combined.

Anseriformes (waterfowl - ducks, geese, swans, and relatives)

Swans, geese, and ducks are waterfowl and live near ponds, lakes, and rivers. They have webbed feet, three
forward-pointing toes, and duck-like beaks. Swans are the largest of this group. Geese are smaller, often fly in a
"V" formation, and make honking calls. Ducks have short necks. Their feet are set far back on their bodies, causing
them to waddle when they walk.

Charadriiformes (waders - shorebirds and relatives)

This large group of birds includes seagulls, terns, small wading birds, puffins, and guillemots. Most of them have
long, spindly legs, compact bodies, and thin, probing beaks. They live on coasts, marshland, and mud flats. Some
of them feed at the edge of the water, while others catch their food from the sea.

Coraciiformes (kingfishers and relatives)

This group also includes hornbills, kookaburras, rollers, and bee-eaters. Most of the birds in this group are
carnivorous land dwellers. They have brightly colored, distinctive plumage and large beaks. Many of them feed on
insects and other small creatures. Kingfishers plunge into freshwater to catch fish.

Falconiformes (diurnal birds of prey)

Often called raptors, birds of prey are meat-eating hunters with strong, hooked beaks, excellent eyesight, and long
legs armed with fierce talons. They attack prey feet-first, catching them with their talons, then tearing them apart
using their beaks. One group of birds of prey is the falcons, such as the kestrel. The second group includes
ospreys, eagles, buzzards, hawks, harriers, and kites.

Galliformes (chicken-like birds or game birds)

Pheasants, grouse, partridges, and quails are all game birds. Starling to chicken sized, they have stout bodies and
small heads with chicken-like beaks. They spend most of their time on the ground, often feeding on seeds, but they
take to the air when in danger, jumping straight up, then flying off with a distinctive whirring style.

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Passeriformes (perching birds or songbirds)
Over half of all birds belong to this family, including swallows, thrushes, warblers, tits, and crows. Perching birds
have four toes on each foot, three facing forward and one at the back, to give them a firm grip on branches. They
have a well-developed syrinx (voice box) which allows for a great variety of songs.

Phoenicopteriformes (large wading birds - flamingos)

Large wading Birds such as herons, spoonbills, egrets, and flamingos, are large birds with long legs and necks, long
beaks, and slender toes. Their wings are broad and heavily fingered, and they fly quite fast, with slow, steady
wingbeats. Waders mainly eat fish and small crustaceans. The shapes of their beaks vary depending on how they
catch their food.

Psittaciformes (parrots)
The parrot family includes parrots, lorikeets, cockatoos, and macaws. They are colorful, noisy birds that live in
tropical rain forests or on open plains. Parrots have strong, hooked beaks and four toes, two at the front and two at
the back. Most of them feed on nuts, berries, leaves, and flowers. They usually live in flocks and screech noisily to
each other.

Strigiformes (owls)
Owls are predators, usually nocturnal, with large, round heads, flat faces, and hooked beaks. Their large round
eyes give them excellent night vision. They have fringed wing feathers for silent flight and strong, sharp talons for
catching prey.

Struthioniformes (flightless - cassowaries, emus, kiwis, ostriches, and rheas)

There are two main types of flightless bird. Ostriches and their relatives are large birds with long legs and necks.
Many of them live on plains and escape predators by running. The second group is made up of smaller, chicken-
sized birds, such as the kiwi, that live on the ground and hide in burrows.

Apodiformes (hummingbirds and swifts)

Balaenicipitiformes (shoebill or whale-headed stork)

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Caprimulgiformes (nightbirds)

Ciconiiformes (storks and relatives)

Coliiformes (mousebirds)

Columbiformes (doves and pigeons)

Cuculiformes (cuckoos and relatives)

Galbuliformes

Gaviiformes (loons)

Gruiformes (coots, cranes, and rails)

Mesitornithiformes (mesites)

Musophagiformes (turacos)

Opisthocomiformes (hoatzin)

Pelecaniformes (pelicans, tropicbirds, cormorants, and relatives)

Piciformes (woodpeckers and relatives)

Podicipediformes (grebes)

Procellariiformes (tube-nosed seabirds)

Sphenisciformes (penguins)

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Tinamiformes (tinamous)

Trogoniformes (trogons)

Turniciformes (buttonquail)

Subclass Paleognathae (paleognath birds)

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