Classification of Aves

AVES

1.Birds comprise perhaps the most distictive class of animals

2.for they all possess feathers

SUBCLASS-Archaeornithes

1.An exticnt subclass of primitive,

2.reptile like birds

3.related tothe first birds that envolved from dianosaurs at least 150 million years ago.

SUBCLASS- Neoronthies

1. Included all living birds
2. ostriches to eagles
3. penguins to sparrows
4. from 70 million years to today they exist.

SUPERORDER- Palaeognathae

    1.primitive bords,

    2.their mouth resembles to reptiles

    3.including aflightless ratites

ORDER- Struthioniformes

1.      largest living birds

2.      weighting 90-130 kgs and standing 2 m tall

3.      flightless, lives on the drier region of Africa

4.      Ex- ostrich

ORDER- Rheiformes

1. large , flightless
2. Ostrich like body
3. Ex- rheas

ORDER- Casuariiformes

1. flightless bird of Australia
2. shaped like squat
3. short osteichthys
4. like large tarkeys
5. Ex- Cassowaries

ORDER- Apterygiformes

1. the national bird  of newzealand
2. small flightless, earth feeders,
3. having a shaggy feathers and a long noses
4. Ex- kiwis

ORDER- Tinamiformes

1. single large family birds of central and South America
2. they are able to fly
3. although they spend most of the time in ground
4. Ex- tinamous

SUPER ORDER- Neogonathe

1.modern birds

2. possessing a flexible ,birs like mouth

ORDER-Sphenisciformes

1.best adapted for swimming

2. catches their prey under the water.

3.live in amaerica throughout the shore of hemisphere.

4.Ex- penguins

ORDER- Gaviiformes

1. Distinctive birds
2. gain food by diving for fishes.
3. inhabiting freshwater,lakes throughout northern America and Eurasia
4. Ex-loons

ORDER- Podicipediformes

1.water birds, rather like loons in their appearences

2.they dive in lakes for food

2.widely distributed throughout the world.

4. Ex- grebes

ORDER- Procellariformes

1.Mainly tube nosed and nostrils

2. fly over the vast regions of the sea

3. hunt fishes and invertebrates

4. Ex- albatrosses,

ORDER- Pelecaniformes

1.a widely varied group of birds,

2. all aquatic , having distinctive web between their four toes

3. Ex-pelicans

ORDER-Ciconiiformes

1. long-leged often long necked bird
2. eating all kinds of food,  especially aqutic food.
3. Ex- herons

ORDER- Anseriformes

1.      vast majority consists of waterfowl

2.      world wide familiar bird

3.      mostly aquatic birds,

4.      Ex- geese, swan

ORDER- Falconiformes

1.      highly recognized and admired.

2.      characterized by their large, hooked bills, their strong talons

3.      and their carnivorous habit

4.      Ex- eagles , vultures

ORDER – Galliformes

1.      they are known as gamebirds and even as domesticated fowl.

2.      ex- grouse quils, patridges

ORDER- Gruiformes

1.      diverse collection of bird families

2.      living around fresh water and marshes.

3.      a disproportionate number are extinct today

4.      ex- finfoots bustards

ORDER – Charadriiformes

1.      a diverse order distributed throughout the world

2.       mostly carnivorous, having oil gland and feather

3.      Ex- skimmers, gulls

ORDER – Columbiformes

1.      a successful and widespread group

2.      having thick heavy plumage.

3.      Ex- pigeons, doves

ORDER- Psittaciformes

1.      a successful widespread family

2.       so unique that ut has given its own order

3.      mostly herbivorous

4.      including a stout, curved bea

5.      Ex- parrots

ORDER- Cuculiformes

1.      a collection of long bodied and tail bird

2.      living around the world wide

3.      ex- cuckoos

ORDER-  Stragiformes

1.      they are not related with raptors

2.      successful as a catching prey

3.      higly adapted to the tough challenges

4.      recognized by forward facing eyes

5.      ex- owls

ORDER- Caprimulgiformes

1.      a widespred group of birds with long wings, delicate legs and a short bills

2.      Ex- frogmouth, nightjars

 ORDER- Apodiformes

1.      swift are all birds

2.      most addicted to flight eating, drinking, mating , collecting nest

3.      even sometimes sleeping on the wing

4.      Ex- hummingbirds

ORDER- Coliiformes

1.      a small African birds

2.      with long tails of ten feahthers

3.      Ex- mousebirds, collies

ORDER- Tragoniformes

1.      having colorful feathers and delicate skin

2.      distributed through the tropical region

3.      especially in Latin America

4.      Ex- tragons

ORDER- Coracciformes

1.      a diverse assemblage of bright- colored birds

2.      mostly tropical and subtropical

3.      characterized by a distinctive joining of their three front toes.

4.      Ex- beeeaters, kingfisher

ORDER- Piciformes

1.      solitary, mostly arboreal birds

2.      distributed throughout the world

3.      having specialized bills,

4.      unique thigh muscles

5.      Ex- toucans

ORDER-Passeriformes

1.      This is by far the largest order of birds

2.       containing 59 bird species

3.       first involved some 95 million years ago

4.      they are common an widespred distribution.

5.      Ex- antbirds, accentors.

References:-

Frank B. Gill , ornithology 2^nd edition,1995

Courtesy by:- Foisal Imran