Birds are bipedal, warm-blooded, oviparous vertebrates characterized primarily by feathers, forelimbs modified as wings, and hollow bones. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Binomial name Parus major Linnaeus, 1758 The Great Tit, Parus major, is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Phyla Porifera (sponges) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria (coral, jellyfish, anenomes) Placozoa (trichoplax) Subregnum Bilateria (bilateral symmetry) Acoelomorpha (basal) Orthonectida (flatworms, echinoderms, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicatas Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Groups Conodonta Hyperoartia Petromyzontidae (lampreys) Pteraspidomorphi (early jawless fish) Thelodonti Anaspida Cephalaspidomorphi (early jawless fish) Galeaspida Pituriaspida Osteostraci Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates) Placodermi Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish) Acanthodii Osteichthyes (bony fish) Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish) Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish) Actinistia (coelacanths) Dipnoi (lungfish) Tetrapoda Amphibia Amniota Sauropsida/(Reptiles) Aves (Birds) Synapsida Mammalia... Carolus Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as ▶ (help· info), and in English usually under the Latinized name Carolus Linnaeus (May 23, 1707 – January 10, 1778), the name with which his publications were signed, was a Swedish botanist and physician who laid the foundations for the modern scheme... Scientific classification or biological classification refers to how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... A biped (BY-ped) meaning two feet (Latin bi = two + ped = foot) is an animal that travels across surfaces supported by two legs. ... A warm-blooded (homeothermic) animal is one that can keep its core body temperature at a nearly constant level regardless of the temperature of the surrounding environment (that is, to maintain thermal homeostasis) . This can involve not only the ability to generate heat, but also the ability to cool down... Groups Conodonta Hyperoartia Petromyzontidae (lampreys) Pteraspidomorphi (early jawless fish) Thelodonti Anaspida Cephalaspidomorphi (early jawless fish) Galeaspida Pituriaspida Osteostraci Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates) Placodermi Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish) Acanthodii Osteichthyes (bony fish) Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish) Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish) Actinistia (coelacanths) Dipnoi (lungfish) Tetrapoda Amphibia Amniota Sauropsida/(Reptiles) Aves (Birds) Synapsida Mammalia... Closeup on a single white feather A feather is one of the epidermal growths that forms the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on a bird. ... A Laughing Gull on the beach in Atlantic City. ...

Birds range in size from the tiny hummingbirds to the huge Ostrich and Emu. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are about 8,800–10,200 living bird species (plus about 120–130 that have become extinct in the span of human history) in the world, making them the most diverse class of terrestrial vertebrates. Genera Many, see text. ... Binomial name Struthio camelus Linnaeus, 1758 The ostrich (Struthio camelus) is a flightless bird native to Africa. ... The abbreviation EMU is an acronym with multiple uses. ... In biology and ecology, extinction is the ceasing of existence of a species or group of taxa. ... Groups Conodonta Hyperoartia Petromyzontidae (lampreys) Pteraspidomorphi (early jawless fish) Thelodonti Anaspida Cephalaspidomorphi (early jawless fish) Galeaspida Pituriaspida Osteostraci Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates) Placodermi Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish) Acanthodii Osteichthyes (bony fish) Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish) Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish) Actinistia (coelacanths) Dipnoi (lungfish) Tetrapoda Amphibia Amniota Sauropsida/(Reptiles) Aves (Birds) Synapsida Mammalia...

Birds are a very differentiated class, with some feeding on nectar, plants, seeds, insects, rodents, fish, carrion, or other birds. Most birds are diurnal, or active during the day. Some birds, such as the owls and nightjars, are nocturnal or crepuscular (active during twilight hours). Many birds migrate long distances to utilise optimum habitats (e.g., Arctic Tern) while others spend almost all their time at sea (e.g. the Wandering Albatross). Some, such as frigatebirds, stay aloft for days at a time, even sleeping on the wing. In Greek mythology, nectar and ambrosia are the food of the gods. ... Divisions Land plants (embryophytes) Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Marchantiophyta - liverworts Anthocerotophyta - hornworts Bryophyta - mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) Lycopodiophyta - clubmosses Equisetophyta - horsetails Pteridophyta - true ferns Psilotophyta - whisk ferns Ophioglossophyta - adderstongues Seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta - seed ferns Pinophyta - conifers Cycadophyta - cycads Ginkgophyta - ginkgo Gnetophyta - gnetae Magnoliophyta - flowering plants Adiantum pedatum (a fern... Classes & Orders Subclass: Apterygota Orders Archaeognatha (Bristletails) Thysanura (Silverfish) Monura - extinct Subclass: Pterygota Infraclass: Paleoptera (paraphyletic) Orders Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Palaeodictyoptera - extinct Megasecoptera - extinct Archodonata - extinct Diaphanopterodea - extinct Protodonata - extinct Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Infraclass: Neoptera Orders Blattodea (cockroaches) Isoptera (termites) Mantodea (mantids) Dermaptera (earwigs) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Protorthoptera - extinct Orthoptera (grasshoppers... Families See Classification Section The order Rodentia is the most numerous of all the branches on the mammal family tree. ... Groups Conodonta Hyperoartia Petromyzontidae (lampreys) Pteraspidomorphi (early jawless fish) Thelodonti Anaspida Cephalaspidomorphi (early jawless fish) Galeaspida Pituriaspida Osteostraci Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates) Placodermi Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish) Acanthodii Osteichthyes (bony fish) Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish) Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish) Actinistia (coelacanths) Dipnoi (lungfish) A fish is a poikilothermic (cold-blooded) water-dwelling... A diurnal animal is an animal that sleeps during the night and is active during the day. ... For uses of the word Owl as a three letter acronym, see OWL. Families Strigidae Tytonidae An owl is any of some 220+ species of solitary, mainly nocturnal birds of prey in the order Strigiformes. ... Genera Nyctiprogne Podager Lurocalis Chordeiles Nyctidromus Phalaenoptilus Siphonorhis Nyctiphrynus Caprimulgus Macrodipteryx Hydropsalis Uropsalis Macropsalis Eleothreptus Eurostopodus Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds with long wings, short legs and very short bills that usually nest on the ground. ... A nocturnal animal is one that sleeps during the day and is active at night - the opposite of the human (diurnal) schedule. ... Crepuscular is a term used to describe animals that are primarily active during the twilight. ... // Long-distance land bird migration Many species of land birds migrate very long distances, the most common pattern being for birds to breed in the temperate or arctic northern hemisphere and winter in warmer regions, often in the tropics or the southern hemisphere. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Binomial name Diomedea exulans Linnaeus, 1758 The best known Albatross is the Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans), which occurs in all parts of the Southern Oceans. ... Species There are five species in the order Fregatatidae, the frigatebirds. ...

Common characteristics of birds include a bony beak with no teeth, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, high metabolic rate, and a light but strong skeleton. Most birds are characterised by flight, though the ratites are flightless, and several other species, particularly on islands, have also lost this ability. Flightless birds include the penguins, ostrich, kiwi, and the extinct Dodo. Flightless species are vulnerable to extinction when humans or the mammals they introduce arrive in their habitat. The Great Auk, flightless rails, and the moa of New Zealand, for example, all became extinct due to human influence. The beak - otherwise known as the bill - is the only device a bird has for consuming food. ... An average Whooping Crane egg is 102 mm long, and weighs 208 grams A baby tortoise emerges from a reptile egg. ... Santorio Santorio (1561-1636) in his steelyard balance, from Ars de statica medecina, first published 1614 Metabolism (from μεταβολισμος (metabolismos)), the Greek word for change, or overthrow (Etymonline)), is the biochemical modification of chemical compounds in living organisms and cells. ... The skeleton of a dove. ... Flight is the mode of locomotion used by most of the world’s bird species. ... Families Struthionidae Casuariidae Dinornithidae Apterygidae Rheidae A ratite is any of a diverse group of large, flightless birds of Gondwanian origin, most of them now extinct. ... This article is about penguin birds. ... Binomial name Struthio camelus Linnaeus, 1758 The ostrich (Struthio camelus) is a flightless bird native to Africa. ... Species A kiwi is any of the species of small flightless birds endemic to New Zealand of the genus Apteryx (the only genus in family Apterygidae). ... Binomial name Raphus cucullatus (Linnaeus, 1758) The Mauritius Dodo (Raphus cucullatus, called Didus ineptus by Linnaeus), more commonly just Dodo, was a metre-high flightless bird of the island of Mauritius. ... Orders Subclass Multituberculata (extinct) Plagiaulacida Cimolodonta Subclass Palaeoryctoides (extinct) Subclass Triconodonta (extinct) Subclass Eutheria (includes extinct ancestors)/Placentalia (excludes extinct ancestors) Afrosoricida Artiodactyla Carnivora Cetacea Chiroptera Cimolesta (extinct) Creodonta (extinct) Condylarthra (extinct) Dermoptera Desmostylia (extinct) Embrithopoda (extinct) Hyracoidea Insectivora Lagomorpha Litopterna (extinct) Macroscelidea Mesonychia (extinct) Notoungulata (extinct) Perissodactyla Pholidota Plesiadapiformes... Binomial name Pinguinus impennis (Linnaeus, 1758) At 75 centimetres or 30 inches, the flightless Great Auk (Pinguinus impennis) was the largest of the auks. ... Genera Sarothrura Himantornis Canirallus Coturnicops Micropygia Rallina Anurolimnas Laterallus Nesoclopeus Gallirallus Rallus Lewinia Dryolimnas Crex Rougetius Aramidopsis Atlantisia Aramides Amaurolimnas Gymnocrex Amaurornis Porzana Aenigmatolimnas Cyanolimnas Neocrex Pardirallus Eulabeornis Habroptila Megacrex Gallicrex Porphyrio Gallinula Fulica The family Rallidae is a large group of small to medium-sized birds which includes the... Genera Anomalopteryx (bush moa) Euryapteryx Megalapteryx (upland moa) Dinornis (giant moa) Emeus Pachyornis Moa were giant flightless birds native to New Zealand. ...

Birds are among the most extensively studied of all animal groups. Hundreds of academic journals and thousands of scientists are devoted to bird research, while amateur enthusiasts (called birdwatchers or, more commonly, birders) probably number in the millions. Birding or birdwatching is a hobby concerned with the observation and study of birds (the study proper is termed American origin; birdwatching is (or more correctly, was) the commonly-used word in Great Britain and Ireland and by non-birders in the United States. ...

High-level taxonomy

Birds form a class, whose scientific name is Aves. The founding species of class Aves probably lived in the Jurassic period. Class ASCII art NFO header by a!b. ... The Jurassic period is a major unit of the geologic timescale that extends from about 200 Ma (million years ago) at the end of the Triassic to 146 Ma at the beginning of the Cretaceous. ...

According to the most recent consensus, Class Aves and a sister group, the family Crocodylidae, together form a group of unnamed rank, the Archosauria. Genera Crocodylus Osteolaemus Tomistoma A crocodile can be any of the 14 species of large, water-loving reptiles in the family Crocodylidae (sometimes classified instead as the subfamily Crocodylinae). ... Groups Pterosauria Crocodylia (crocodiles) Dinosauria    Aves (birds) Archosaurs (Greek for ruling reptiles) are a group of diapsid reptiles that first appeared during the late Permian (roughly 250 million years ago). ...

The class of birds separated early into two superorders, the Paleognathae (mostly flightless birds like ostriches), and the wildly diverse Neognathae, containing all other birds. Scientific classification or biological classification refers to how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Binomial name Struthio camelus Linnaeus, 1758 The ostrich (Struthio camelus) is a flightless bird native to Africa. ...

Bird orders

Relationships between bird orders

This is a list of the taxonomic orders in the class Aves. The list of birds gives a more detailed summary, including families. try changing the name File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... try changing the name File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... This page lists orders and families of birds, class Aves. ...

• Struthioniformes, Ostrich, emus, kiwis, and allies
• Tinamiformes, tinamous
• Anseriformes, waterfowl
• Galliformes, fowl
• Sphenisciformes, penguins
• Gaviiformes, loons
• Podicipediformes, grebes
• Procellariiformes, albatrosses, petrels, and allies
• Pelecaniformes, pelicans and allies
• Ciconiiformes, storks and allies
• Phoenicopteriformes, flamingos
• Accipitriformes, eagles, hawks and allies
• Falconiformes, falcons
• Turniciformes, button-quail
• Gruiformes, cranes and allies
• Charadriiformes, plovers and allies
• Pteroclidiformes, sandgrouse
• Columbiformes, doves and pigeons
• Psittaciformes, parrots and allies
• Cuculiformes, cuckoos
• Strigiformes, owls
• Caprimulgiformes, nightjars and allies
• Apodiformes, swifts
• Trochiliformes, hummingbirds
• Coraciiformes, kingfishers
• Piciformes, woodpeckers and allies
• Trogoniformes, trogons
• Coliiformes, mousebirds
• Passeriformes, passerines

Note: This is the traditional classification (the so-called Clements order). A more recent, radically different classification based on molecular data has been developed (the so-called Sibley order) and is gaining acceptance. Families Struthionidae Casuariidae Dinornithidae Apterygidae Rheidae A ratite is any of a diverse group of large, flightless birds of Gondwanian origin, most of them now extinct. ... Binomial name Struthio camelus Linnaeus, 1758 The ostrich (Struthio camelus) is a flightless bird native to Africa. ... The abbreviation EMU is an acronym with multiple uses. ... Species A kiwi is any of the species of small flightless birds endemic to New Zealand of the genus Apteryx (the only genus in family Apterygidae). ... Genera The Tinamous are one of the most ancient groups of bird, members of a South American bird family of about 47 species in 9 genera. ... Genera The Tinamous are one of the most ancient groups of bird, members of a South American bird family of about 47 species in 9 genera. ... Families  Anhimidae  Anseranatidae  Anatidae The order Anseriformes contains about 150 species of bird in three families: the Anhimidae (the screamers), Anseranatidae (the Magpie Goose), and the Anatidae, which includes over 140 species of waterfowl, among them the ducks, geese, and swans. ... Families Megapodidae Numididae Odontophoridae Phasianidae Meleagrididae Tetraonidae Cracidae Mesitornithidae The Galliformes is an order of birds containing the turkeys, grouse, quails and pheasants. ... This article is about penguin birds. ... Genera Aptenodytes Eudyptes Eudyptula Megadyptes Pygoscelis Spheniscus Penguins (order Sphenisciformes, family Spheniscidae) are an order of flightless birds living in the southern hemisphere. ... Species Gavia stellata Gavia arctica Gavia pacifica Gavia immer Gavia adamsii For other meanings of diver, also see diving. ... Species Gavia stellata Gavia arctica Gavia pacifica Gavia immer Gavia adamsii The loon (N.Am. ... Genera Podiceps Tachybaptus Podilymbus Aechmophorus Poliocephalus Rollandia Grebes are members of the Podicipediformes, a widely distributed order of freshwater diving birds, some of which visit the sea when migrating and in winter. ... Genera Podiceps Tachybaptus Podilymbus Aechmophorus Poliocephalus Rollandia Grebes are members of the Podicipediformes order, a widely distributed order of freshwater diving birds, some of which visit the sea when migrating and in winter. ... Families Procellariidae Diomedeidae Hydrobatidae Pelecanoididae Procellariiformes (from the Latin procella, a storm) is an order of birds formerly called Tubinares and still called tubenoses in English. ... Genera Diomedea Thalassarche Phoebastria Phoebetria The albatrosses are seabirds in the family Diomedeidae, which is closely allied to the procellarids, storm-petrels and diving-petrels in the order Procellariiformes (the tubenoses). ... The petrels are seabirds in the bird order Procellariiformes. ... Families Pelecanidae Sulidae Phalacrocoracidae Fregatidae Anhingidae Phaethontidae The Pelecaniformes are an order of medium-sized and large waterbirds found worldwide. ... Species Pelecanus occidentalis Pelecanus thagus Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Pelecanus onocrotalus Pelecanus crispus Pelecanus rufescens Pelecanus philippensis Pelecanus conspicillatus A pelican is any of several very large water birds with a distinctive pouch under the beak belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae. ... Families Ardeidae Cochlearidae Balaenicipitidae Scopidae Ciconiidae Threskiornithidae Traditionally, the order Ciconiiformes has included a variety of large, long-legged wading birds with large bills: storks, herons, egrets, ibises, spoonbills, and several others. ... Genera See text Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long stout bills, belonging to the family Ciconiidae. ... For the American doo-wop group, best known for I Only Have Eyes for You (1959), see The Flamingos. ... Species Phoenicopterus roseus Phoenicopterus minor Phoenicopterus jamesi Phoenicopterus andinus Phoenicopterus chilensis Phoenicopterus ruber Flamingos (genus Phoenicopterus monotypic in family Phoenicopteridae) are gregarious wading birds, usually 3–5 feet in height, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. ... In one of the most common of the several ways in which the raptors are classified, the order Accipitriformes includes most of the diurnal birds of prey: hawks, eagles, vultures, and many others: about 225 species in all. ... Genera Several, see below. ... The term hawk refers to birds of prey in any of three senses: Strictly, to mean any of the species in the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis, and Megatriorchis. ... Families Accipitridae Pandionidae Falconidae Sagittariidae Cathartidae The order Falconiformes is a group of about 290 species of birds that include the diurnal birds of prey. ... Species About 37; see text. ... The buttonquails or hemipodes are a small family of birds which resemble, but are unrelated to, the true quails. ... Families  Otidae  Gruidae  Rallidae The diverse order Gruiformes contains about 12 bird families with, on first sight, little in common. ... Families Thinocoridae Pedionomidae Scolopacidae Rostratulidae Jacanidae Chionididae Burhinidae Haematopodidae Recurvirostridae Ibidorhynchidae Charadriidae Pluvianellidae Dromadidae Glareolidae Stercorariidae Rhynchopidae Laridae Sternidae Alcidae Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. ... Genera Pterocles Syrrhaptes The sandgrouse are a group of 16 near passerine bird species in the order Pteroclidiformes. ... Families Raphidae Columbidae The order Columbiformes includes two families of birds: the Raphidae, to which the extinct Dodo and Rodrigues Solitaires belonged, and the Columbidae, which includes the very widespread and successful doves and pigeons. ... Genera Subfamily Columbinae Columba Streptopelia Macropygia Reinwardtoena Turacoena Turtur Oena Chalcophaps Henicophaps Phaps Ocyphaps Geophaps Petrophassa Geopelia Leucosarcia Zenaida Ectopistes (extinct) Columbina Claravis Metropelia Scardafella Uropelia Leptotila Geotrygon Starnoenas Caloenas Gallicolumba Trugon Microgoura (extinct?) Subfamily Otidiphabinae Otidiphaps Subfamily Gourinae Goura Subfamily Didunculinae Didunculus Subfamily Treroninae Phapitreron Treron Ptilinopus Drepanoptila Alectroenas... Pigeon redirects here. ... Families Cacatuidae Psittacidae Loriidae The order Psittaciformes includes about 342 species of bird which are generally grouped into two families: the Cacatuidae or cockatoos, and the Psittacidae, the parrots. ... Genera A parrot is a bird belonging to the family Psittacidae. ... Families Musophagidae Cuculidae Opisthocomidae The near passerine bird order Cuculiformes traditionally included three families as below: Order Cuculiformes Family Musophagidae: turacos and allies Family Cuculidae: cuckoos Family Opisthocomidae: Hoatzin However, the taxonomy of this group is now controversial. ... Genera See text. ... For uses of the word Owl as a three letter acronym, see OWL. Families Strigidae Tytonidae An owl is any of some 200+ species of solitary nocturnal birds of prey in the order Strigiformes. ... For uses of the word Owl as a three letter acronym, see OWL. Families Strigidae Tytonidae An owl is any of some 220+ species of solitary, mainly nocturnal birds of prey in the order Strigiformes. ... Families Steatornithidae Podargidae Aegothelidae Nyctibiidae Caprimulgidae The Caprimulgiformes is an order of birds that includes the cosmopolitan nightjars, the frogmouths of Australasia and Southeast Asia, the South American potoos and Oilbird, and the Australasian owlet-nightjars. ... Genera Nyctiprogne Podager Lurocalis Chordeiles Nyctidromus Phalaenoptilus Siphonorhis Nyctiphrynus Caprimulgus Macrodipteryx Hydropsalis Uropsalis Macropsalis Eleothreptus Eurostopodus Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds with long wings, short legs and very short bills that usually nest on the ground. ... Families Apodidae Hemiprocnidae Traditionally, the bird order Apodiformes contained three families: the swifts, Apodidae, the tree swifts, Hemiprocnidae, and the hummingbirds, Trochilidae. ... Genera Many; see text. ... For the Australian jangle pop band, see The Hummingbirds. ... Families Alcedinidae Halcyonidae Cerylidae Brachypteraciidae Coraciidae Leptosomidae Meropidae Momotidae Todidae Bucerotidae Upupidae Phoeniculidae The Coraciiformes are a group of usually colourful near passerine birds including the kingfishers, the Hoopoe, the bee-eaters, the rollers, and the hornbills. ... Families Alcedinidae Halcyonidae Cerylidae Kingfishers are birds of the three families Alcedinidae (river kingfishers), Halcyonidae (tree kingfishers), and Cerylidae (water or belted kingfishers). ... Families Picidae Capitonidae Ramphastidae Galbulidae Bucconidae Indicatoridae Six families of largely arboreal birds make up the order Piciformes, the best-known of them being the Picidae, which includes the woodpeckers and close relatives. ... Genera Jynx Picumnus Sasia Nesoctites Melanerpes Sphyrapicus Xiphidiopicus Campethera Geocolaptes Dendropicos Dendrocopos Picoides Veniliornis Piculus Colaptes Celeus Dryocopus Campephilus Picus Dinopium Chrysocolaptes Gecinulus Sapheopipo Blythipicus Reinwardtipicus Meiglyptes Hemicircus Mulleripicus Woodpeckers are near passerine birds of the order Piciformes. ... Genera Apaloderma Euptilotis Harpactes Pharomachrus Priotelus Trogon Ref: ITIS 178094 2002-10-06 The trogons and quetzals are birds in the order Trogoniformes. ... Genera Apaloderma Euptilotis Harpactes Pharomachrus Priotelus Trogon Ref: ITIS 178094 2002-10-06 The trogons and quetzals are birds in the order Trogoniformes. ... Genera Colius Urocolius The mousebirds are a small group of near passerine birds which have no clear affinities to other groups, and are therefore given order status. ... Families Many, see text A passerine is a bird of the giant order Passeriformes. ... Dr. James Franklin (Jim) Clements (October 31, 1927-June 9, 2005) was an ornithologist and author. ...

Evolution

Birds are generally considered to have evolved from theropod dinosaurs. Specifically, birds are members of Maniraptora, a group of theropods which includes dromaeosaurs and oviraptorids, among others. As more non-avian theropods that are closely related to birds are discovered, the formerly clear distinction between non-birds and birds becomes less so. Recent discoveries in northeast China (Liaoning Province) demonstrating that many small theropod dinosaurs had feathers contribute to this ambiguity. Subdivisions Coelophysidae Ceratosauria Abelisauridae Spinosauroidea Carnosauria Coelurosauria Theropods (beast foot) are a group of bipedal saurischian dinosaurs. ... Orders Saurischia    Sauropodomorpha    Theropoda Ornithischia Dinosaurs are giant reptiles that dominated the terrestrial ecosystem for most of their 165-million year existence. ... Subgroups Alvarezsauria Aves Deinonychosauria Oviraptorosauria Therizinosauria Maniraptora is a group used in biological classification to cover the birds and the dinosaurs that were related to them. ... Genera Achillobator Adasaurus Bambiraptor Cryptovolans Dromaeosaurus Deinonychus Gracilraptor Microraptor Pyroraptor Saurornitholestes Sinornithosaurus Utahraptor Variraptor Velociraptor Among the dinosaurs, the Dromaeosaurids or Dromaeosauridae (running lizards) were fast and agile dominant carnivores throughout the Cretaceous period. ... Liaoning (Simplified Chinese: 辽宁; Traditional Chinese: 遼寧; pinyin: ) is a northeastern province of the Peoples Republic of China. ...

The basal bird Archaeopteryx, from the Jurassic, is well-known as one of the first "missing links" to be found in support of evolution in the late 19th century. It remains the most primitive known bird. Other Mesozoic birds include the Confuciusornithidae, Enantiornithes, Ichthyornis, and Hesperornithiformes, a group of flightless divers resembling grebes and loons. Binomial name Archaeopteryx lithographica Meyer, 1861 Archaeopteryx lithographica (ahr-kee-OP-ter-ix) meaning ancient wing(Greek archaio = ancient + pteryx = wing), from the Late Jurassic of Germany, is the earliest and most primitive known bird. ... The Jurassic period is a major unit of the geologic timescale that extends from about 200 Ma (million years ago) at the end of the Triassic to 146 Ma at the beginning of the Cretaceous. ... A speculatively rooted phylogenetic tree of all living things, based on rRNA gene data, showing the separation of the three domains, bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes, as described initially by Carl Woese. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Mesozoic is one of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon. ... The Enantiornithes, or opposite birds (because their foot bones are fused differently than in modern birds), are an extinct group of flying birds. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Families Hesperornithidae Hesperornithiformes are an extinct and highly specialized order of Cretaceous toothed birds. ... Genera Podiceps Tachybaptus Podilymbus Aechmophorus Poliocephalus Rollandia Grebes are members of the Podicipediformes order, a widely distributed order of freshwater diving birds, some of which visit the sea when migrating and in winter. ... Species Gavia stellata Gavia arctica Gavia pacifica Gavia immer Gavia adamsii The loon (N.Am. ...

The recently discovered dromaeosaur, Cryptovolans, was capable of powered flight, contained a keel and had ribs with uncinate processes. In fact, Cryptovolans makes a better "bird" than Archaeopteryx which is missing some of these modern bird features. Because of this, some paleontologists have suggested that dromaeosaurs are actually basal birds whose larger members are secondarily flightless, i.e. dromaeosaurs evolved from birds and not the other way around. Evidence for this theory is currently inconclusive, but digs continue to unearth fossils (especially in China) of the strange feathered dromaeosaurs. Cryptovolans pauli is a 90 cm long feathered dromaeosaurid dinosaur recently discovered in the Jiufotang site, China. ... A keel in bird anatomy is an extension of the sternum which runs axially along the midline of the sternum and extends outward, perpendicular to the plane of the ribs. ... Cryptovolans pauli is a 90 cm long feathered dromaeosaurid dinosaur recently discovered in the Jiufotang site, China. ... Binomial name Archaeopteryx lithographica Meyer, 1861 Archaeopteryx lithographica (ahr-kee-OP-ter-ix) meaning ancient wing(Greek archaio = ancient + pteryx = wing), from the Late Jurassic of Germany, is the earliest and most primitive known bird. ... Genera Achillobator Adasaurus Bambiraptor Cryptovolans Dromaeosaurus Deinonychus Gracilraptor Microraptor Pyroraptor Saurornitholestes Sinornithosaurus Utahraptor Variraptor Velociraptor Among the dinosaurs, the Dromaeosaurids or Dromaeosauridae (running lizards) were fast and agile dominant carnivores throughout the Cretaceous period. ...

It should be noted that although ornithischian (bird-hipped) dinosaurs share the same hip structure as birds, birds actually originated from the saurischian (lizard-hipped) dinosaurs, and thus arrived at their hip structure condition independently. In fact, the bird-like hip structure also developed a third time among a peculiar group of theropods, the Therizinosauridae. Suborders Thyreophora Cerapoda    Ornithopoda    Marginocephalia Ornithischia is an order of beaked, herbivorous dinosaurs. ... Bones of the Hip In anatomy, the hip is the bony projection of the femur, known as the greater trochanter, and the overlying muscle and fat. ... Groups Sauropodomorpha    Saturnalia    Prosauropoda    Sauropoda Theropoda    Eoraptor    Herrerasauridae    Ceratosauria    Tetanurae       Avis (extant) Saurischians (from the Greek Saurischia meaning lizard hip) are one of the two orders/branches of dinosaurs. ... Genera Alxasaurus elesitaiensis Chilantaisaurus zheziangensis Enigmosaurus mongoliensis Erlikosaurus andrewsi Nanshiungosaurus brevispinus Nanshiungosaurus bohlini Nothronychus mckinleyi Segnosaurus galbinensis Therizinosaurus cheloniformis Falcarius utahensis Therizinosauridae is a family of dinosaur species with related characteristics, belonging to the more including group of the Therizinosauroidea. ...

Modern birds are classified in Neornithes, which are split into the Paleognathae and Neognathae. The paleognaths include the tinamous (found only in Central and South America) and the ratites. The ratites are large flightless birds, and include ostriches, cassowaries, kiwis and emus. Some scientists suspect that the ratites represent an artificial grouping of birds which have independently lost the ability to fly, while others contend that the ratites never had the ability to fly and are more directly related to the dinosaurs than other modern birds. The basal divergence from the remaining Neognathes was that of the Galloanseri, the superorder containing the Anseriformes (ducks, geese and swans), and the Galliformes (the pheasants, grouse, and their allies). See the chart for more information. Genera The Tinamous are one of the most ancient groups of bird, members of a South American bird family of about 47 species in 9 genera. ... Families Struthionidae Casuariidae Dinornithidae Apterygidae Rheidae A ratite is any of a diverse group of large, flightless birds of Gondwanian origin, most of them now extinct. ... Families  Anhimidae  Anseranatidae  Anatidae The order Anseriformes contains about 150 species of bird in three families: the Anhimidae (the screamers), Anseranatidae (the Magpie Goose), and the Anatidae, which includes over 140 species of waterfowl, among them the ducks, geese, and swans. ... Subfamilies Dendrocygninae Oxyurinae Anatinae Merginae Duck is the common name for a number of species in the Anatidae bird family. ... Genera Anser Branta Chen Cereopsis Cnemiornis (extinct) † see also: Swan, Duck Anatidae Goose (plural geese) is the general English name for a considerable number of birds, belonging to the family Anatidae. ... Genera Cygnus Coscoroba Swans are large water birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. ... Families Megapodidae Numididae Odontophoridae Phasianidae Meleagrididae Tetraonidae Cracidae Mesitornithidae The Galliformes is an order of birds containing the turkeys, grouse, quails and pheasants. ... Genera Ithaginis Catreus Rheinartia Crossoptilon Lophura Argusianus Pucrasia Syrmaticus Chrysolophus Phasianus † See also partridge, quail Pheasants are a group of large birds in the order Galliformes. ... Genera Tetrao Lagopus Falcipennis Centrocercus Bonasa Dendrapagus Tympanuchus Grouse Slang for something not nice or chat.... haha Grouse are from the order Galliformes which inhabit temperate and subarctic regions of the northern hemisphere. ...

The classification of birds is a contentious issue. Sibley & Ahlquist's Phylogeny and Classification of Birds (1990) is a landmark work on the classification of birds (although frequently debated and constantly revised). A preponderance of evidence seems to suggest that the modern bird orders constitute accurate taxa. However, scientists are not in agreement as to the relationships between the orders; evidence from modern bird anatomy, fossils and DNA have all been brought to bear on the problem but no strong consensus has emerged. See also: Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy. Charles Sibley (August 7, 1917 - April 12, 1998) was an American ornithologist and molecular biologist. ... A taxon (plural taxa), or taxonomic unit, is a grouping of organisms (named or unnamed). ... The Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy is a radical bird taxonomy based on DNA-DNA hybridization studies conducted in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s. ...

Reproduction

Baby bird unable to fly yet

Although most male birds have no external sex organs, the male does have two testes which become hundreds of times larger during the breeding season to produce sperm. The female's ovaries also become larger, although only the left ovary actually functions. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1067, 318 KB) Baby bird learning to fly File links The following pages link to this file: Bird ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1067, 318 KB) Baby bird learning to fly File links The following pages link to this file: Bird ... Human male anatomy The testicles, known medically as testes (singular testis), are the male generative glands in animals. ... The signifier sperm can refer to: (mass noun, from Greek sperma = seed) a substance which consists of spermatozoa and which is a component of semen (mass noun) semen itself (informally, count noun with plural sperm or sperms) a single spermatozoon (= sperm cell) sperma ceti (Latin ceti, genitive of cetus = whale... Human female internal reproductive anatomy Ovaries are egg-producing reproductive organs found in female organisms. ...

In the males of species without a phallus (see below), sperm is stored within the proctodeum compartment within the cloaca prior to copulation. During copulation, the female moves her tail to the side and the male either mounts the female from behind or moves very close to her. He moves the opening of his cloaca, or vent, close to hers, so that the sperm can enter the female's cloaca, in what is referred to as a cloacal kiss. This can happen very fast, sometimes in less than one second. The Latin word phallus (from the Greek phallos) and its derived adjective phallic, adopted in English and in many modern languages, refers to the penis. ... A proctoduem is the back ectodermal part of an alimentary canal. ... In zoological anatomy, a cloaca is the posterior opening that serves as the only such opening for the intestinal, urinary, and genital tracts of certain animal species. ... It has been suggested that Mating be merged into this article or section. ...

The sperm is stored in the female's cloaca for anywhere from a week to a year, depending on the species of bird. Then, one by one, eggs will descend from the female's ovaries and become fertilized by the male's sperm, before being subsequently laid by the female. The eggs will then continue their development in the nest.

A juvenile Laughing Gull on the beach at Atlantic City.

Many waterfowl and some other birds, such as the ostrich and turkey, do possess a phallus. Except during copulation, it is hidden within the proctodeum compartment within the cloaca, just inside the vent. The avian phallus differs from the mammalian penis in several ways, most importantly in that it is purely a copulatory organ and is not used for expelling urine. A juvenile Laughing Gull on the beach at Atlantic City Taken by Raul654 on August 24, 2004. ... A juvenile Laughing Gull on the beach at Atlantic City Taken by Raul654 on August 24, 2004. ... Binomial name Larus atricilla Linnaeus, 1758 Adult winter Laughing Gulls The Laughing Gull, Larus atricilla, is a medium-sized gull of North and South America. ... Motto: Nickname: Map Map of Atlantic City in Atlantic County Political Statistics Founded Sister Cities {{{sister cities}}} Incorporated March 1854 County Atlantic County Borough {{{borough}}} Parrish {{{parrish}}} Mayor Bob Levy Geographic Statistics Area  - Total  - Water 44. ... Falcated Duck at Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands centre, Gloucestershire, England Wildfowl or waterfowl, also waterbirds, is the collective term for the approximately 147 species of swans, geese and ducks, classified in the order Anseriformes, family Anatidae. ... The Latin word phallus (from the Greek phallos) and its derived adjective phallic, adopted in English and in many modern languages, refers to the penis. ... A proctoduem is the back ectodermal part of an alimentary canal. ... Orders Subclass Multituberculata (extinct) Plagiaulacida Cimolodonta Subclass Palaeoryctoides (extinct) Subclass Triconodonta (extinct) Subclass Eutheria (includes extinct ancestors)/Placentalia (excludes extinct ancestors) Afrosoricida Artiodactyla Carnivora Cetacea Chiroptera Cimolesta (extinct) Creodonta (extinct) Condylarthra (extinct) Dermoptera Desmostylia (extinct) Embrithopoda (extinct) Hyracoidea Insectivora Lagomorpha Litopterna (extinct) Macroscelidea Mesonychia (extinct) Notoungulata (extinct) Perissodactyla Pholidota Plesiadapiformes... The penis (plural penises or penes) or phallus is an external male sexual organ. ...

After the eggs hatch, parent birds provide varying degrees of care in terms of food and protection. Precocial birds can care for themselves independently within minutes of hatching; altricial hatchlings are helpless, blind, and naked, and require extended parental care. The chicks of many ground-nesting birds such as partridges and waders are often able to run virtually immediately after hatching; such birds are referred to as nidifugous. The young of hole-nesters, on the other hand, are often totally incapable of unassisted survival. The process whereby a chick acquires feathers until it can fly is called "fledging". In biology, precocial species are those that are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. ... In bird and mammal biology, altricial species are those whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile, have closed eyes, lack hair or down, and must be cared for by the adults. ... Chick could refer to any of these : chick – the young of any bird, used especially for chicken chick – slang for a young girl Chick Publications – publishing company run by Jack Chick Chick flick – slang for a movie made for women Chick pea – an edible pulse Dixie Chicks – a country music... Genera Perdix Alectoris Lerwa Bambusicola Ptilopachus Rollulus Haematortyx Caloperdix Arborophila Xenoperdix Melanoperdix †See also Pheasant, Quail, Grouse Partridges are birds in the pheasant family, Phasianidae. ... Families Charadridae Jacanidae Rostratulidae Ibidorhynchidae Recurvirostridae Haematopodidae Scolopacidae Dromadidae Burhinidae Glareolidae Thinocoridae Waders, called Shorebirds in North America (where wader is used to refer to long-legged wading birds such as storks and herons), are members of the order Charadriiformes, excluding the more marine web-footed seabird groups. ... An animal that leaves its nest shortly after birth is said to be nidifugous. ...

Some birds, such as pigeons, geese, and Red-crowned Cranes, remain with their mates for life (or for a long period) and may produce offspring on a regular basis. Binomial name Grus japonensis (Statius Muller, 1776) The Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis) is a large crane and is the second rarest crane in the world. ...

Mating systems and parental care

The three mating systems that predominate among birds are polyandry, polygyny, and monogamy. Monogamy is seen in approximately 91% of all bird species. Polygyny constitutes 2% of all birds and polyandry is seen in less than 1%. Monogamous species of males and females pair for the breeding season. In some cases, the individuals may pair for life. In monogamy (Greek: monos = single/only and gamos = marriage) a person has only one spouse at a time (as opposed to polygamy). ... The term polygyny (neo-Greek: poly+gyne woman) is used in related ways in social anthropology and sociobiology. ... In social anthropology and sociobiology, polyandry (Greek: poly many, andros man) means a female forming a stable sexual union with more than one male. ...

One reason for the high rate of monogamy among birds is the fact that male birds are just as adept at parental care as females. In most groups of animals, male parental care is rare, but in birds it is quite common; in fact, it is more extensive in birds than in any other vertebrate class. In birds, male care can be seen as important or essential to female fitness. "In one form of monogamy such as with obligate monogamy a female cannot rear a litter without the aid of a male" (Gowaty, 1983).

These redwing hatchlings are completely dependent on parental care.

The parental behavior most closely associated with monogamy is male incubation. Interestingly, male incubation is the most confining male parental behavior. It takes time and also may require physiological changes that interfere with continued mating. This extreme loss of mating opportunities leads to a reduction in reproductive success among incubating males. "This information then suggests that sexual selection may be less intense in taxa where males incubate, hypothetically because males allocate more effort to parental care and less to mating" (Ketterson and Nolan, 1994). In other words, in bird species in which male incubation is common, females tend to select mates on the basis of parental behaviors rather than physical appearance. Download high resolution version (1257x855, 1078 KB)Redwing ground nest with four newly hatched redwings and one remaining egg. ... Download high resolution version (1257x855, 1078 KB)Redwing ground nest with four newly hatched redwings and one remaining egg. ... Binomial name Turdus iliacus Linnaeus, 1766 The Redwing (Turdus iliacus) is a member of the thrush family Turdidae. ... The word incubation (from the Latin incubare, to lie upon) can mean the following: In chemistry or biochemistry, incubation refers to maintaining a system under specific conditions in order to promote a particular reaction. ...

Respiration

Birds ventilate their lungs by means of crosscurrent flow: the air flows at a 90° angle to the flow of blood in the lungs' capillaries. In addition to the lungs themselves, birds have posterior and anterior air sacs (typically nine) which control air flow through the lungs, but do not play a direct role in gas exchange. There are three distinct sets of organs involved in respiration: Respiration is the process of exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide between an organism and its external environment (breathing). ...

• the anterior air sacs (interclavicular, cervicals, and anterior thoracics),
• the lungs, and
• the posterior air sacs (posterior thoracics and abdominals).

It takes a bird two full breaths to completely cycle the air from each inhalation through its lungs and out again. Air flows through the air sacs and lungs as follows: In human and zoological anatomy (sometimes called zootomy), several terms are used to describe the location of organs and other structures in the body of bilateral animals. ... An air sac is a component of the pulmonary system. ... Left clavicle - from above Left clavicle - from below In human anatomy, the clavicle or collar bone is a bone that makes up part of the shoulder girdle (pectoral girdle). ... The neck is the part of the body on many limbed vertebrates that distinguishes the head from the torso or trunk. ... Diagram of a tsetse fly, showing the head, thorax and abdomen The thorax is a division of an animals body, that lies between the head and the abdomen. ... The heart and lungs (from an older edition of Grays Anatomy) The lung is an organ belonging to the respiratory system and interfacing to the circulatory system of air-breathing vertebrates. ... In human and zoological anatomy (sometimes called zootomy), several terms are used to describe the location of organs and other structures in the body of bilateral animals. ...

• First inhalation: air flows through the trachea and bronchi into the posterior air sacs.
• First exhalation: air flows from the posterior air sacs to the lungs.
• Second inhalation: air flows from the lungs to the anterior air sacs.
• Second exhalation: air flows from the anterior sacs back through the trachea and out of the body.

Since during inhalation and exhalation fresh air flows through the lungs in only one direction, there is no mixing of oxygen rich air and carbon dioxide rich air within the lungs as in mammals. Thus the partial pressure of oxygen in a bird's lungs is the same as the environment, and so birds have more efficient gas-exchange of both oxygen and carbon dioxide than do mammals. The trachea (IPA /treikiÉ™/), or windpipe, is a tube extending from the larynx to the bronchi in mammals, and from the pharynx to the syrinx in birds, carrying air to the lungs. ... A bronchus (plural bronchi, adjective bronchial) is a caliber of airway in the respiratory tract that conducts air into the lungs. ... Carbon dioxide is an atmospheric gas comprised of one carbon and two oxygen atoms. ... The partial pressure of a gas in a mixture or solution is what the pressure of that gas would be if all other components of the mixture or solution suddenly vanished without its temperature changing. ...

Avian lungs do not have alveoli, as mammalian lungs do, but instead contain millions of tiny passages known as parabronchi, connected at either ends by the dorsobronchi and ventrobronchi. Air flows through the honeycombed walls of the parabronchi and into air capillaries, where oxygen and carbon dioxide are traded with cross-flowing blood capillaries by diffusion. The alveoli (singular:alveolus), tiny hollow sacs which are continuous with the airways, are the sites of gas exchange with the blood. ... Parabronchi are millions of tiny passages in the lungs of birds that constitute the primary sites of gas exchange between air and blood for birds; delivering oxygen and removing carbon dioxide. ...

Other anatomy

Anatomy of a typical bird

Birds possess a ventriculus, or gizzard, that is composed of four muscular bands that act to rotate and crush food by shifting the food from one area to the next within the gizzard. Depending on the species, the gizzard may contain small pieces of grit or stone that the bird has swallowed to aid in the grinding process of digestion. For birds in captivity, only certain species of birds require grit in their diet for digestion. The use of gizzard stones is a similarity between birds and dinosaurs, which left gizzard stones called gastroliths as trace fossils. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The gizzard is a very muscular stomach that is found in birds, earthworms, and other animals. ... Digestion is the process whereby a biological entity processes a substance, in order to chemically convert the substance into nutrients. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... A fossilized dinosaur footprint at Clayton Lake State Park, New Mexico. ...

Birds also have skeletons possessing unique characteristics. See bird skeleton. In biology, the skeleton or skeletal system is the biological system providing support in living organisms. ... The skeleton of a dove. ...

The region between the eye and bill on the side of a bird's head is called a lore. This region is sometimes featherless, and the skin may be tinted (as in many species of the cormorant family). Genera Nannopterum Phalacrocorax Leucocarbo The Phalacrocoracidae family of birds is represented by about thirty species of cormorants and shags. ...

Birds and humans

Chinstrap Penguin

Birdbox is an artificial platform for birds to make a nest

Birds are an important food source for humans. The most commonly eaten species is the domestic chicken and its eggs, although geese, pheasants, turkeys, and ducks are also widely eaten. Other birds that have been utilized for food include emus, ostriches, pigeons, grouse, quails, doves, woodcocks, songbirds, and others, including small passerines such as finches. chinstrap penguin larger image on http://www. ... chinstrap penguin larger image on http://www. ... Download high resolution version (500x667, 53 KB) This big birdbox is for a big bird. ... Download high resolution version (500x667, 53 KB) This big birdbox is for a big bird. ... A nest box (or nestbox) is a man-made box provided for animals to nest in. ... [[|Diversity]] Binomial name Homo sapiens Linnaeus, 1758 Trinomial name Type Species Subspecies Homo sapiens idaltu (extinct) Homo sapiens sapiens [[Image: ]] Synonyms Homo (genus). ... [[|Diversity]] Binomial name Gallus gallus Trinomial name Type Species [[Image: ]] Synonyms A chicken (Gallus gallus) is a type of domesticated bird which is often raised as a type of poultry. ... An average Whooping Crane egg is 102 mm long, and weighs 208 grams A baby tortoise emerges from a reptile egg. ... Genera Anser Branta Chen Cereopsis Cnemiornis (extinct) † see also: Swan, Duck Anatidae Goose (plural geese) is the general English name for a considerable number of birds, belonging to the family Anatidae. ... Genera Ithaginis Catreus Rheinartia Crossoptilon Lophura Argusianus Pucrasia Syrmaticus Chrysolophus Phasianus † See also partridge, quail Pheasants are a group of large birds in the order Galliformes. ... Subfamilies Dendrocygninae Oxyurinae Anatinae Merginae Duck is the common name for a number of species in the Anatidae bird family. ... The abbreviation EMU is an acronym with multiple uses. ... Binomial name Struthio camelus Linnaeus, 1758 The ostrich (Struthio camelus) is a flightless bird native to Africa. ... Pigeon redirects here. ... Genera Tetrao Lagopus Falcipennis Centrocercus Bonasa Dendrapagus Tympanuchus Grouse Slang for something not nice or chat.... haha Grouse are from the order Galliformes which inhabit temperate and subarctic regions of the northern hemisphere. ... Genera Coturnix Anurophasis Perdicula Ophrysia † See also Pheasant, Partridge, Grouse Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds in the Pheasant family Phasianidae, or in the family Odontophoridae. ... Genera Subfamily Columbinae Columba Streptopelia Macropygia Reinwardtoena Turacoena Turtur Oena Chalcophaps Henicophaps Phaps Ocyphaps Geophaps Petrophassa Geopelia Leucosarcia Zenaida Ectopistes (extinct) Columbina Claravis Metropelia Scardafella Uropelia Leptotila Geotrygon Starnoenas Caloenas Gallicolumba Trugon Microgoura (extinct?) Subfamily Otidiphabinae Otidiphaps Subfamily Gourinae Goura Subfamily Didunculinae Didunculus Subfamily Treroninae Phapitreron Treron Ptilinopus Drepanoptila Alectroenas... Species Eurasian Woodcock, Amami Woodcock, Bukidnon Woodcock, Dusky Woodcock, Sulawesi Woodcock, Moluccan Woodcock, American Woodcock, The woodcock are a group of seven very similar wading bird species in the genus Scolopax, characterised by a long slender bill and cryptic brown and blackish plumage. ... A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Oscines of Passeriformes (ca. ... Families Many, see text A passerine is a bird of the giant order Passeriformes. ... Genera Many, see text Finches are seed-eating passerine birds, the many species of which are found chiefly in the northern hemisphere, but also to a limited extent in Africa and South America. ...

At one time swans and flamingos were delicacies of the rich and powerful, although these are generally protected now. Genera Cygnus Coscoroba Swans are large water birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. ... Species Phoenicopterus roseus Phoenicopterus minor Phoenicopterus jamesi Phoenicopterus andinus Phoenicopterus chilensis Phoenicopterus ruber Flamingos (genus Phoenicopterus monotypic in family Phoenicopteridae) are gregarious wading birds, usually 3–5 feet in height, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. ...

Many species have become extinct through over-hunting, such as the Passenger Pigeon, and many others have become endangered or extinct through habitat destruction, deforestation and intensive agriculture being common causes for declines. Binomial name Ectopistes migratorius (Linnaeus, 1766) The Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) was once probably the most common bird in the world. ... Habitat destruction is a process of land use change in which one habitat-type is removed and replaced with some other habitat-type. ... Deforestation is the conversion of forested areas to non-forest. ...

Numerous species have come to depend on human activities for food and are widespread to the point of being pests. For example, the common pigeon or Rock Dove (Columba livia) thrives in urban areas around the world. In North America, introduced House Sparrows, Common Starlings, and House Finches are similarly widespread. Binomial name Columba livia Gmelin, 1789 The Rock Dove (Columba livia), or feral pigeon, is a member of the bird family Columbidae, doves and pigeons. ... Binomial name Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) occurs naturally in most of Europe and Asia, though it is replaced by allied forms in some areas. ... Binomial name Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 The Common Starling or European Starling, Sturnus vulgaris, is a passerine bird in the family Sturnidae. ... Binomial name Carpodacus pulcherrimus (Müller, 1776) The House Finch, Carpodacus pulcherrimus, is a medium-sized finch. ...

Other birds have long been used by humans to perform tasks. For example, Homing pigeons were commonly used to carry messages before the advent of modern instant communications methods (many are still kept for sport). Falcons are still used for hunting, while cormorants are employed by fishermen. Chickens and pigeons are popular as experimental subjects, and are often used in biology and comparative psychology research. As birds are very sensitive to toxins, the Canary was historically used in coal mines to indicate the presence of poisonous gases, allowing miners sufficient time to escape without injury. Binomial name Columba livia Gmelin, 1789 The Rock Dove (Columba livia), or feral pigeon, is a member of the bird family Columbidae, doves and pigeons. ... Species About 37; see text. ... Genera Nannopterum Phalacrocorax Leucocarbo The Phalacrocoracidae family of birds is represented by about thirty species of cormorants and shags. ... [[|Diversity]] Binomial name Gallus gallus Trinomial name Type Species [[Image: ]] Synonyms A chicken (Gallus gallus) is a type of domesticated bird which is often raised as a type of poultry. ... Pigeon redirects here. ... I HATE BIOLOGY Biology is the branch of science dealing with the study of life. ... Comparative psychology, taken in its most usual, broad, sense, refers in to the study of the behaviour and mental life of animals other than human beings. ... Binomial name Serinus canaria (Linnaeus, 1758) The Canary (Serinus canaria) is a small songbird which is a member of the finch family. ... Wyoming coal mine Coal mining is the mining of coal. ...

Colorful, particularly tropical, birds (e.g., parrots, and mynahs) are often kept as pets although this practice has led to the illegal trafficking of some endangered species; CITES, an international agreement adopted in 1963, has considerably reduced trafficking in the bird species it protects. For the runtime engine for Perl 6, see Parrot virtual machine. ... † See also Starling, Oxpecker The mynas are part of the family Sturndidae, along with the starlings and oxpeckers. ... Pets and humans often contribute toward the happiness of the other in a pet relationship. ... A skirmish with smugglers from Finland at the Russian border, 1853, by Vasily Hudiakov. ... The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international agreement between Governments, drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of the World Conservation Union (IUCN). ...

Bird diseases that can be contracted by humans include psittacosis, salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, Newcastle's disease, mycobacteriosis (avian tuberculosis), avian influenza, giardiasis, and cryptosporidiosis. In medicine (pulmonology), psittacosis -- also known as parrot disease, parrot fever, and ornithosis -- is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by a bacterium called Mycoplasma psittaci and contracted from parrots, macaws, cockatiels, and parakeets. ... Salmonellosis is an infection with Salmonella bacteria. ... Campylobacteriosis is among the most common bacterial infections of humans. ... Tuberculosis (commonly shortened to TB) is an infection caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which most commonly affects the lungs (pulmonary TB) but can also affect the central nervous system (meningitis), lymphatic system, circulatory system (Miliary tuberculosis), genitourinary system, bones and joints. ... Avian influenza (also known as bird flu, avian flu, influenzavirus A flu, type A flu, or genus A flu) is a flu (influenza) due to a type of influenza virus that is hosted by birds, but may infect several species of mammals. ... Giardiasis (also known as beaver fever) is a disease caused by the flagellate protozoan Giardia lamblia (also Giardia intestinalis). ... Cryptosporidiosis is a disease affecting the intestines of mammals that is caused by Cryptosporidium, a protozoan parasite in the phylum Apicomplexa. ...

Trivia

• To preen or groom their feathers, birds use their bills to brush away foreign particles.
• The birds of a region are called the avifauna.
• Few birds use chemical defences against predators. Tubenoses can eject an unpleasant slime against an aggressor, and some species of pitohui, found in New Guinea secrete a powerful neurotoxin in their feathers.

Procellariiformes (from the Latin procella, a storm) is an order of birds formerly called Tubinares and still called tubenoses in English. ... Genus Pitohui Lesson, 1830 The Pitohuis are a genus of birds, endemic to New Guinea, belonging to the family Pachycephalidae. ... A neurotoxin is a toxin that acts specifically on nerve cells, or neurons, usually by interacting with membrane proteins and ion channels. ...

See also

• Anting
• Archaeopteryx
• Avian pallium
• Bird flight
• Bird hybrid
• Bird intelligence
• Bird migration
• Bird ringing (banding)
• Bird skeleton
• Birdfeeding
• Birding
• Carinatae
• Conservation status
• Egg biology
• Extinct birds
• List of birds
• regional and country bird lists
• Oology
• Ornithology
• Prehistoric birds

Bird families and taxonomic discussion are given in list of birds and Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy. Anting is when birds rub insects on their feathers, usually ants that secrete liquids containing chemicals such as formic acid, that can act as an insecticide, miticide, fungicide, or bactericide. ... Binomial name Archaeopteryx lithographica Meyer, 1861 Archaeopteryx lithographica (ahr-kee-OP-ter-ix) meaning ancient wing(Greek archaio = ancient + pteryx = wing), from the Late Jurassic of Germany, is the earliest and most primitive known bird. ... In the anatomy of animals, an avian pallium is the dorsal telencephalon of a birds brain. ... Flight is the mode of locomotion used by most of the world’s bird species. ... // What is an hybrid? A bird hybrid is basically a bird that has two different species as parents. ... The level of intelligence in birds, as a scientific inquiry, has not been as thoroughly researched as similar questions regarding primates and other mammals. ... // Long-distance land bird migration Many species of land birds migrate very long distances, the most common pattern being for birds to breed in the temperate or arctic northern hemisphere and winter in warmer regions, often in the tropics or the southern hemisphere. ... Bird ringing (also known as bird banding) is an aid to studying wild birds, by attaching a small individually numbered metal or plastic ring to their legs or wings, so that various aspects of the birds life can be studied by the ability to re-find the same individual... The skeleton of a dove. ... Birdfeeding is the activity of feeding (and usually observing) wild birds. ... Birding or birdwatching is a hobby concerned with the observation and study of birds (the study proper is termed American origin; birdwatching is (or more correctly, was) the commonly-used word in Great Britain and Ireland and by non-birders in the United States. ... In phylogenetic taxonomy, the Carinatae are considered the last common ancestor of Neornithes (living birds) and Ichthyornis (an extinct seabird of the Cretaceous). ... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive. ... An average Whooping Crane egg is 102 mm long, and weighs 208 grams A baby tortoise emerges from a reptile egg. ... Artists rendition of a Giant Haasts eagle attacking New Zealand moa. ... This page lists orders and families of birds, class Aves. ... The following are the regional bird lists by continent. ... Oology is the branch of zoology that deals with the study of eggs, especially birds eggs. ... Ornithology (from the Greek ornis = bird and logos = word/science) is the branch of zoology concerned with the scientific study of birds and it includes observations on the structure and classification of birds, and on their habits, song and flight. ... Prehistoric birds are various groups of birds that lived before recorded history. ... Taxonomy (from Greek verb tassein = to classify and nomos = law, science, cf economy) may refer to: the science of classification (see alpha taxonomy) a classification Initially taxonomy was only the science of classifying living organisms, but later the word was applied in a wider sense, and may also refer to... This page lists orders and families of birds, class Aves. ... The Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy is a radical bird taxonomy based on DNA-DNA hybridization studies conducted in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s. ...

References and external links

Wikispecies has information related to:

Aves

Wikibooks Dichotomous Key has more about this subject:

Aves

• Avibase - The World Bird Database
• Bird Hybrids Database - Search by bird name, use Sibley classification
• International Ornithological Committee
• Birdlife International - Dedicated to bird conservation worldwide; has a database with about 250,000 records on endangered bird species
• Birdingonthe.net
• Surfbirds Birdwatching and World Birding
• Worldtwitch - rare bird news around the world
• BirdForum

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