FAMILY-LEVEL TAXA* to know for "Global Avian Diversity" (BIOL 7800; Spring 2016; J. V. Remsen)

 

VERY HELPFUL graphic: visualizing avian tree of life

 

You do not have to know the higher-level taxonomy: Infraclass, Parvclass, Superorder, and Order designations and names are from Cracraft’s chapter in Howard-Moore 4^th edition (Dickinson & Remsen 2013), except those noted with an asterisk (*).  You might find them helpful in grouping the families that you have to know.  Families not represented at LSUMNS are marked “(-)”.

 

Bottomline is that you are responsible for knowing only the taxa in BLUE below, including some distinctive lineages no longer treated as families.  The rest of the classification is just “FYI” and to help you learn inter-relationships.

 

 

FAMILY-LEVEL TAXA* to know for "Global Avian Diversity" (version 2 May 2016)

 

Infraclass PALEOGNATHAE

 

STRUTHIONIFORMES

Struthionidae (2 species)

CASUARIIFORMES

Casuariidae (3)

Dromaiidae (= Dromiceidae) (1) [treated as subfamily of Casuariidae by Cracraft 2013)

APTERYGIFORMES

Apterygidae (5)

RHEIFORMES

Rheidae (2)

TINAMIFORMES

Tinamidae (47)

 

Infraclass NEOGNATHAE

 

Parvclass Galloanseres

 

ANSERIFORMES

Anhimidae (3)

Anseranatidae (1)

Anatidae (160)

GALLIFORMES

Megapodiidae (22)

Cracidae (54)

Numididae (6)

Odontophoridae @ (33)

Phasianidae (179) [includes Tetraonidae # (19) and Meleagrididae # (2), currently treated together as a tribe, Tetraonini, of the Phasianidae]

 

Parvclass Neoaves

 

Superorder Phoenicopterimorphae

PHOENICOPTERIFORMES

Phoenicopteridae (6)

PODICIPEDIFORMES

Podicipedidae (25)

 

Superorder Gaviimorphae

GAVIIFORMES

Gaviidae (5)

 

Superorder Procellariimorphae

SPHENISCIFORMES

Spheniscidae (16)

PROCELLARIIFORMES

Diomedeidae (13)

Procellariidae (84) [includes Pelecanoididae # (4)]

Hydrobatidae (21) [includes Oceanitidae, which is recognized by Cracraft 2013]

 

Superorder Pelecanimorphae

CICONIIFORMES [included in Pelecaniformes by Cracraft 2013]

Ciconiidae (19)

PELECANIFORMES

Pelecanidae (8)

Scopidae (1)

Balaenicipitidae (1)

ARDEIIFORMES [included in Pelecaniformes by Cracraft 2013 and AOU]

Ardeidae (63)

Threskiornithidae (34)

SULIIFORMES [included in Pelecaniformes by Cracraft 2013]

Fregatidae (5)

Sulidae (10)

Phalacrocoracidae (31)

Anhingidae (4)

 

Superorder Phaethontimorphae

PHAETHONTIFORMES

Phaethontidae (3)

 

Superorder Accipitrimorphae

CATHARTIFORMES *

Cathartidae (7)

ACCIPITRIFORMES

Sagittariidae (1)

Pandionidae (1)

Accipitridae (240)

 

Superorder Eurypygimorphae

EURYPYGIFORMES

Rhynochetidae (1)

Eurypygidae (1)

 

Superorder Gruimorphae

GRUIFORMES

Rallidae (149)

Sarothruridae @ (9)

Heliornithidae (3)

Psophiidae (3)

Aramidae (1)

Gruidae (15)

 

Superorder Otidimorphae

OTIDIFORMES

Otididae (26)

 

Superorder Musophagimorphae

MUSOPHAGIFORMES

Musophagidae (23)

 

Superorder Charadriimorphae

CHARDRIIFORMES

Burhinidae (9)

Chionidae (2)

Pluvianellidae (1)

Pluvianidae (1)

Haematopodidae (13)

Ibidorhynchidae (1) [treated as subfamily of Haematopodidae by Cracraft 2013]

Recurvirostridae (10)

Charadriidae (67)

Pedionomidae (1)

Thinocoridae (4)

Jacanidae (8)

Rostratulidae (3)

Scolopacidae (94)

Turnicidae (16)

Dromadidae (1)

Glareolidae (17)

Alcidae (26)

Stercorariidae (7)

Laridae (99)

Rynchopidae (3) [treated as subfamily of Laridae by Cracraft 2013]

 

Superorder Columbimorphae

MESITORNITHIFORMES

Mesitornithidae (3)

PTEROCLIFORMES

Pteroclidae (16)

COLUMBIFORMES

Columbidae (313) [includes “Raphidae” (extinct)]

 

Superorder Cuculimorphae

CUCULIFORMES

Cuculidae (140)

 

Superorder Opisthicomorphae

OPISTHOCOMIFORMES

Opisthocomidae (1)

 

Superorder Strigimorphae

STRIGIFORMES

Tytonidae (19)

Strigidae (194)

 

Superorder Caprimulgimorphae

STEATORNITHIFORMES

Steatornithidae (1)

PODARGIFORMES

Podargidae (13)

NYCTIBIIFORMES

Nyctibiidae (7)

CAPRIMULGIFORMES

Caprimulgidae (92)

AEGOTHELIFORMES

Aegothelidae (11)

APODIFORMES

Apodidae (95)

Hemiprocnidae (4) [treated as subfamily of Apodidae by Cracraft 2013]

Trochilidae (338)

 

Superorder Coraciimorphae

COLIIFORMES

Coliidae (6)

LEPTOSOMATIFORMES

Leptosomidae (1)

TROGONIFORMES

Trogonidae (44)

BUCEROTIFORMES

Bucerotidae (53)

Upupidae (1)

Phoeniculidae (8)

PICIFORMES

Galbulidae (18)

Bucconidae (35)

Lybiidae (42) [included in Ramphastidae by Cracraft 2013]

Megalaimidae (25) [included in Ramphastidae by Cracraft 2013]

Capitonidae (18) [included in Ramphastidae by Cracraft 2013]

Semnornithidae (2) [included in Ramphastidae by Cracraft 2013]

Ramphastidae (40)

Indicatoridae (16)

Picidae (217)

CORACIIFORMES

Meropidae (27)

Coraciidae (12)

Brachypteraciidae @ (5)

Todidae (5)

Momotidae (13)

Alcedinidae (91)

 

Superorder Psittacopasserae

 

CARIAMIFORMES

Cariamidae (2)

FALCONIFORMES

Falconidae (65)

PSITTACIFORMES

Strigopidae (4)

Cacatuidae (21)

Psittaculidae @ (184)

Psittacidae (167)

 

[Family classification modified extensively to follow Dickinson & Christidis 2014]

 

PASSERIFORMES

Suborder Acanthisitti

Acanthisittidae @ (4)

 

Suborder Tyranni (Suboscines)

Pittidae (29)

Eurylaimidae (8)

Philepittidae (4)

Calyptomenidae (6)

Sapayoidae (1)

 

Thamnophilidae (232)

Melanopareiidae (4)

Conopophagidae (10)

Grallariidae (53)

Rhinocryptidae (57)

Formicariidae (12)

Furnariidae (296) (including Sclerurinae 17 and Dendrocolaptidae 51)

 

Cotingidae @ (65) (including Rupicolidae, Phytotomidae)

Tityridae @ (35)

Oxyruncidae (1)

Pipridae (48)

Tyrannidae (419) (including temporarily Platyrinchidae, Tachuridae, Pipromorphidae, Onychorhynchidae – all recognized by Dickinson & Christidis 2014)

Pipritidae @ (3)

 

Suborder Passeri (oscines)

 

Infraorder Menurides

Menuridae (2)

Atrichornithidae (2)

 

Infraorder Climacterides

Ptilonorhynchidae (19)

Climacteridae (7)

 

Infraorder Meliphagides

Maluridae @ (32)

Neosittidae (3)

Meliphagidae (178)

Pardalotidae (4)

Acanthizidae @ (59)

 

Infraorder Orthonychides

(-) Orthonychidae (3)

Pomatostomidae @ (5)

 

Incertae Sedis

(-) Melanocharitidae (10)

(-) Cnemophilidae (3)

Callaeidae (4)

(-) Notiomystidae (1)

 

Infraorder Corvides

Mohouidae @ (2)

Campephagidae (85)

(-) Cinclosomatidae @ (10)

Pachycephalidae @ (49)

Falcunculidae (3)

(-) Oreoicidae (3)

Psophodidae (5)

(-) Eulacestomatidae (1)

(-) Paramythiidae (2)

Vireonidae (62)

Oriolidae (35)

(-) Rhagologidae (1)

(-) Machaerirhynchidae (2)

(-) Peltopsidae (2)

Cracticidae (11)

Artamidae (11)

Platysteiridae (29)

Vangidae (incl. Prionopidae) @ (36)

(-) Pityriaseidae (1)

Aegithinidae @ (4)

Malaconotidae (46)

Dicruridae (22)

Rhipiduridae (46)

Laniidae (34)

Corvidae (126)

Monarchidae @ (96)

Corcoracidae (2)

(-) Melampittidae (2)

(-) Ifritidae (1)

Paradisaeidae (41)

 

Infraorder Passerides

Picathartidae (2)

(-) Chaetopidae (1)

(-) Eupetidae (1)

 

Petroicidae @ (49)

 

(-) Promeropidae (5)

Dicaeidae (45)

Nectariniidae (136)

Irenidae (2)

Chloropseidae @ (11)

 

Hyliotidae @ (3)

 

Stenostiridae @ (9)

Paridae (59)

Remizidae @ (10)

 

Nicatoridae (3)

 

Modulatricidae @ (3)

 

Alaudidae (93)

Panuridae (1)

Macrosphenidae @ (18)

Cisticolidae @ (139)

 

Locustellidae @ (57)

Donacobiidae (1)

(-) Bernieridae (11)

Acrocephalidae @ (59)

(-) Pnoepygidae (4)

Hirundinidae (84)

Pycnonotidae (130)

 

Phylloscopidae @ (77)

Scotocercidae @ (37)

Aegithalidae (10)

 

Sylviidae (including Chamaeidae, Paradoxornithidae) @ (62)

Zosteropidae (122)

Timaliidae @ (46)

Pellorneidae @ (54)

Leiothrichidae @ (125)

 

Regulidae (6)

 

(-) Elachuridae (1)

Dulidae (1)

Bombycillidae (3)

Hypocoliidae @ (1)

Ptilogonatidae @ (4)

(-) Mohoidae (5)

 

Certhiidae (9)

Sittidae (28)

Troglodytidae (82)

Polioptilidae (15)

 

Buphagidae (2)

Mimidae (34)

Sturnidae (114)

Rhabdornithidae (2)

Cinclidae (5)

Muscicapidae @ (303)

Turdidae (159)

 

Prunellidae (12)

Peucedramidae (1)

(-) Urocynchramidae (1)

Ploceidae (115)

Estrildidae (131)

Viduidae (20)

Passeridae (38)

Motacillidae (67)

Fringillidae (including Drepanidinae) (221)

Zeledonidae (1)

Parulidae (108)

Icteridae (105)

Calcariidae (6)

Emberizidae @ (168)

Cardinalidae @ (63)

Thraupidae @ (including Tersinidae, Catamblyrhynchidae, and most of the "Coerebidae") (371)

 

Proposed new families (Barker et al. Syst. Biology 2012) for 9-primaried oscine genera currently Incertae Sedis (optional to learn @)

 

Rhodinocichlidae @ (1)

Spindalidae @ (4)

Nesospingidae @ (1)

Phaenicophildae @ (2)

Teretistridae @ (2)

Calyptophilidae @ (2)

Mitrospingidae @ (3)

Icteriidae @ (1)

Passerellidae (127; split from Emberizidae)

 

@ = bonus points only on Final Exam

# = no longer treated as families but be able to diagnose these as a group

 

* 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).