WARNING! This article needs attention from an expert on the subject. That's what it said at the source for some of the information herein. When I had about 500 birds described on my site, I had to find a better way to get them into order. So I had to start from the very beginning. Here. But that was difficult and confusing. As a lot of scientists now are engaged in DNA-surveys, they feel they should correct the old system, and have began moving birds from one family to another and so on. I'm just to old for that, so please look at these pages as my private database, to help me keep everything in a kind of good order. Of course, will appreciate any comments from you, my visitors. E-mail address at bottom of page.

This is a list relating to extant species of birds.
This page lists living orders and families of birds. The links below should then lead to family accounts
and hence to individual species.

Taxonomy is very fluid in the age of DNA analysis, so comments are made where appropriate, and all numbers are approximate. In particular see Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy for a very different classification.
In our pages on this web-site, we keep to the 'old' way of listing, as that is most common.(2012)

Neognathae Nearly all living birds belong to the superorder of Neognathae or "new jaws". With their keels, unlike the ratites, they are known as carinatae. The passerines alone account for well over 5000 species. Galloanserae: Superorder: Anseriformes - Worldwide; 150 species. Anhimidae: screamers Anseranatidae:   Magpie Goose, Anseranas semipalmata Anatidae: ducks, geese, and swans Superorder: Galliformes - Worldwide; 250 species. Family: Megapodidae: megapodes Family: Cracidae: chachalacas, curassows, and guans Superfamily Phasianoidea - Phasianoidea: pheasants and allies Family Odontophoridae – New World quail Family Numididae – guineafowl Family Phasianidae – pheasants, partridges and relatives Superorder: Neonaves Accipitriformes - hawks, eagles, vultures - Worldwide (200) Family Cathartidae: New World vultures Family Pandionidae:   Osprey, Pandion haliaetus (1 specie) Family Accipitridae: hawks and relatives Family Sagittaridae: Secretarybird Aegotheliformes - owlet-nightjars - Oceania (10) Apodiformes - swifts and hummingbirds - Worldwide (400) Trochilidae: hummingbirds Apodidae: swifts Hemiprocnidae: treeswifts Bocerotiformes - Old World, New Guinea, (64) Bucerotidae: hornbills Upupidae: Hoopoe Phoeniculidae: woodhoopoes Caprimulgiformes - nightjars and allies - Worldwide (90) Steatornithidae: Oilbird Podargidae: frogmouths Nyctibiidae: potoos Caprimulgidae: nighthawks and nightjars Eurostopodidae: eared-nightjars Cariamiformes - South America (2) Charadriiformes - shorebirds/waders and allies , seagulls, skuas- Worldwide (350) Scolopaci     Scolopacidae: sandpipers and relatives Thinocori: jacana-like waders     Rostratulidae: painted snipes Genus Nycticryphes South American Painted Snipe, Nycticryptes semicollaris, inhabits grassy marshland in southern South America.     Jacanidae: jacanas see here     Thinocoridae: seedsnipes Genus Attagis Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, Attagis gayi, No: Rustrypesnipe White-bellied Seedsnipe, Attagis malouinus, No: Sørrypesnipe Genus Thinocorus Gray-breasted Seedsnipe, Thinocorus orbignyianus, Punarypesnipe Least Seedsnipe, Thinocorus rumicivorus, Dvergrypesnipe     Pedionomidae: Plains-wanderer Turnici     Turnicidae: buttonquail Lari: gulls and allies Laridae: gulls     Rhynchopidae: skimmers     Sternidae: terns     Alcidae: auks     Stercorariidae: skuas and jaegers     Glareolidae: coursers and pratincoles     Dromadidae: Crab-Plover Chionidi: thick-knees and allies     Burhinidae: thick-knees and relatives     Chionididae: sheathbills     Pluvianellidae: Magellanic Plover Charadrii: plover-like waders     Ibidorhynchidae: Ibisbill     Recurvirostridae: avocets and stilts     Haematopodidae: oystercatchers     Charadriidae: plovers and lapwings Ciconiiformes - storks see here and here Ciconiidae - stork Threskiornithidae - large wading birds Coliiformes - mousebirds - Sub-Saharan Africa (6) Columbiformes - doves and pigeons - Worldwide, (300) Coraciiformes - rollers and allies (paraphyletic?) - Worldwide (144) Meropidae: bee-eaters se her Coraciidae: rollers se her Brachypteraciidae: ground rollers Todidae: todies Momotidae: motmots Alcedines: kingfishers     Alcedinidae: river kingfishers se her:     Halcyonidae: tree kingfishers se her:     Cerylidae: water kingfishers Cuculiformes - cuckoos - Worldwide (126) se her Falconiformes - birds of prey - Worldwide (60) Worldwide; 260 species; sometimes all families except Falconidae are separated as Accipitriformes, or the Cathartidae placed in a still separate order, Cathartiformes. Falconidae: caracaras, falcons, falconets, hobbies, kestrels Cathartidae: New World vultures, condors Pandionidae: Osprey Accipitridae: buzzards, eagles, harriers, hawks, kites, Old World vultures Sagittaridae: Secretary Bird Gaviiformes - loons/divers - North America, Eurasia (5) Gruiformes - cranes and allies (paraphyletic?) - Worldwide (191) Otididae: bustards Gruidae: cranes Aramidae: Limpkin Psophiidae: trumpeters Rallidae: rails and relatives see here Heliornithidae: finfoots Leptosomatiformes - Madagascar (1) Mesitornithiformes - Madagascar, Neotropics, Nerw Caledonia (5) Mesitornithidae: mesites Rhynochetidae: Kagu Eurypygidae: Sunbittern Musophagiformes - turacos - Africa (23) Opisthocomiformes - Hoatzin - South America, (1) Passeriformes - passerines/perching birds Worldwide (5.000) Pelecaniformes - pelicans and allies (paraphyletic?) - Worldwide (108) Balaenicipitidae: Shoebill Scopidae: Hamerkop Pelecanidae: pelicans Ardeidae: herons and relatives see here Threskiornithidae: ibises and spoonbills Phaethontiformes - tropicbirds - Oceanic (3) Phoenicopteriformes - flamingos (6) Piciformes - woodpeckers and allies - Worldwide except Australasia (400) Galbulidae: jacamars Bucconidae: puffbirds Lybiidae: African barbets Megalaimidae: Asian barbets Ramphastidae: toucans Semnornithidae: Toucan barbets Capitonidae: American barbets Picidae: woodpeckers Indicatoridae: honeyguides Podicipediformes - grebes (19) Procellariiformes - tubenoses - Pan-oceanic, (120) Diomedeidae: albatrosses Procellariidae: petrels and relatives Pelecanoididae: diving petrels Hydrobatidae: storm petrels Psittaciformes - parrots and cockatoos - Pan-tropical, southern temperate zones (330) Cacatuidae: cockatoos Strigopidae: New Zealand parrots Psittacidae: true parrots Pteroclidiformes - sandgrouse, Africa, Europe, Asia; (16 ) Sphenisciformes - penguins - Antarctic and southern waters (17) Strigiformes - owls - Worldwide (130) Suliformes - Worldwide (59) Phalacrocoracidae: cormorants and shags Fregatidae: frigatebirds Sulidae: boobies and gannets Anhingidae: darters Trogoniformes - trogons - Sub-Saharan Africa, Americas, Asia (35) here Superorder: Gastornithiformes are prehistoric birds Paleognathae The flightless and mostly giant Struthioniformes lack a keeled sternum and are collectively known as ratites. Together with the Tinamiformes, they form the Paleognathae or "old jaws", one of the two 'superorders'. Superorders: Struthioniformes - Africa and Australasia; 2 species. Struthionidae: Ostrich Rheiformes - South America; 2 species. Rheidae: rheas Tinamiformes - South America; 45 species. Tinamidae: tinamous Casuariiformes - Australasia; 4 species. Casuariidae: cassowaries Dromaiidae: Emu Apterygiformes - Australasia; 5 species. Apterygidae: kiwis