FAMILY-LEVEL TAXA* to know for "Global Avian Diversity" (ZOOL 7800; Spring 2006; J. V. Remsen)

Struthionidae (1 species)
Rheidae (2)
Casuariidae (3)
Dromaiidae (= Dromiceidae) (1)
Apterygidae (3)
Tinamidae (45)
Anhimidae (3)
Anatidae (160)
Megapodiidae (19)
Cracidae (50)
Meleagrididae (2)
Tetraonidae (18)
Odontophoridae (30)
Phasianidae (150)
Numididae (6)
Spheniscidae (17)
Gaviidae (5)
Podicipedidae (21)
Diomedeidae (14)
Procellariidae (75)
Hydrobatidae (21)
Pelecanoididae (4)
Phaethontidae (3)
Pelecanidae (8)
Sulidae (9)
Phalacrocoracidae (38)
Anhingidae (4)
Fregatidae (5)
Ardeidae (65)
Balaenicipitidae (1)
Scopidae (1)
Ciconiidae (19)
Threskiornithidae (34)
Cathartidae (7)
Phoenicopteridae (5)
Pandionidae (1)
Accipitridae (240)
Sagittariidae (1)
Falconidae (65)
Mesitornithidae (= Mesoenatidae) (3)
Turnicidae (17)
Gruidae (15)
Psophiidae (3)
Rallidae (145)
Heliornithidae (3)
Aramidae (1)
Rhynochetidae (1)
Eurypygidae (1)
Cariamidae (2)
Otididae (25)
Jacanidae (8)
Rostratulidae (2)
Dromadidae (1)
Haematopodidae (11)
Ibidorhynchidae (1)
Recurvirostridae (10)
Burhinidae (9)
Glareolidae (17)
Charadriidae (incl. Pluvianellinae) (65)
Scolopacidae (88)
Thinocoridae (4)
Pedionomidae (1)
Chionidae (= Chionididae) (2)
Stercorariidae (8)
Laridae (100)
Rynchopidae (3)
Alcidae (23)
Pteroclidae (= Pteroclididae) (16)
Raphidae (extinct) (3)
Columbidae (310)
Loriidae (55)
Cacatuidae (23)
Psittacidae (280)
Musophagidae (23)
Cuculidae (142)
Opisthocomidae (1)
Tytonidae (17)
Strigidae (170)
Steatornithidae (1)
Podargidae (14)
Nyctibiidae (7)
Aegothelidae (8)
Caprimulgidae (85)
Apodidae (100)
Hemiprocnidae (4)
Trochilidae (325)
Coliidae (6)
Trogonidae (40)
Alcedinidae (95)
Todidae (5)
Momotidae (10)
Meropidae (26)
Coraciidae (12)
Brachypteraciidae (5)
Leptosomidae (1) (= Leptosomatidae)
Upupidae (2)
Phoeniculidae (8)
Bucerotidae (55)
Galbulidae (18)
Bucconidae (33)
Indicatoridae (17)
Lybiidae (42)
Megalaimidae (25)
Capitonidae (20)
Ramphastidae (40)
Picidae (215)
Eurylaimidae (14)
Dendrocolaptidae (55)
Furnariidae (235)
Thamnophilidae (200)
Formicariidae (60)
Conopophagidae (8)
Rhinocryptidae (55)
Cotingidae (50) (including Phytotomidae)
Oxyruncidae (1)
Pipridae (45)
Tyrannidae (420)
Pittidae (31)
Xenicidae (4)
Philepittidae (4)
Menuridae (2)
Atrichornithidae (2)
Alaudidae (90)
Hirundinidae (90)
Campephagidae (85)
Pycnonotidae (125)
Irenidae (incl. Aegithinidae) (14)
Oriolidae (27)
Dicruridae (24)
Callaeidae (= Calleatidae) (3)
Grallinidae (4)
Artamidae (11)
Cracticidae (10)
Ptilonorhynchidae (20)
Paradisaeidae (45)
Corvidae (120)
Vireonidae (52)
Laniidae (incl. Malacanotidae,
Prionopidae) (85)
Vangidae (14)
Ptilogonatidae (4)
Bombycillidae(3)
Dulidae (1)
Hypocoliidae (1)
Cinclidae (5)
Troglodytidae (75)
Polioptilidae (15)
Mimidae (34)
Sturnidae (115)
Turdidae (300)
Timaliidae (260)
Panuridae (19)
Picathartidae (2)
Sylviidae (300)
Regulidae (6)
Maluridae (26)
Muscicapidae (including Platysteirinae, Monarchinae, Rhipidurinae, Pachycephalinae) (475)
Aegithalidae (8)
Remizidae (12)
Paridae (53)
Sittidae (25)
Certhiidae (7)
Climacteridae (7)
Rhabdornithidae (3)
Dicaeidae (including Pardalotinae) (50)
Nectariniidae (140)
Zosteropidae (85)
Meliphagidae (180)
Motacillidae (65)
Prunellidae (13)
Emberizidae (250)
Cardinalidae (42)
Thraupidae (including Tersininae, Catamblyrhynchinae) (225)
Parulidae (115)
Peucedramidae (1)
Icteridae (100)
Fringillidae (including Drepanidinae) (170)
Estrildidae (155)
Passeridae (36)
Ploceidae (115)



* depending on classification used, some are considered only subfamilies or even tribes; however, each is an important unit to be learned, regardless of taxonomic level. Use of family-level category does not necessarily imply endorsement of that use (and the LSUMNS collection does not have some of these separated as families). You do not have to know taxa treated as families in Gill's textbook that are not listed above.

Taxa formerly considered families that you DO NOT have to know (because evidence fairly strong that they are either paraphyletic or not worthy of family-level recognition) = Rupicolidae, Phytotomidae, Coerebidae, Zeledonidae)