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CHARACTERISTICS OF FAMILIES AND ORDERS

Below is a list of some characteristics of families and orders of the birds. You do not have to memorize everything on this list. It is here to help you organize your thoughts so that you can better understand the taxonomy of the birds that you will be studying this semester. You are responsible for knowing red order names and pink family names. Each of these is linked to a more descriptive web site. 
 
 

• reduced keel, but only order in Palaeognathae that can fly
• 4 toes (no reduction, unlike other specialized cursorial)
• chicken-like bills
• restricted to Central and South America

• ratite is Latin for raft --refers to their flat breastbone, no keel
• flightless, cursorial birds
• male has intromittent organ
• feathers loose due to lack of hooks on barbules of feather

Struthionidae (Ostrich)

• largest bird in weight/height (up to 130 kg, 2.75 m)
• fastest runner (up to 50 km/hr, 70 km/hr in straight sprint)
• strong muscular legs; reduced # of toes (2)
• feathers cover whole body, not in tracts; neck and head not feathered
• found only in Africa (except for introduced birds elsewhere)

Rheidae (Rheas)

• similar to ostriches but in South America
• smaller (at least half) body size of Ostrich
• feathered neck and head
• longer wings than other ratites (strong claw on each wing)
• no rectrices; 3 toes only; good eyesight & hearing

Casuariidae (Cassowaries)- same suborder as Emus

• 3 toes only; aftershafts present, almost as long as main feather; flat bill.
• 2nd to Ostrich in weight
• have casque or helmet -- protuberance at top of head; lack rectrices
• found in Australia and New Guinea

Dromaiidae (Emus)- same suborder as Cassowaries

• 3 toes only; aftershaft present, almost as long as main feather; flat bill
• 2nd to Ostrich in size (length)
• found in Australia

Apterygidae (Kiwis)

• no rectrices; no aftershafts present; hair-like feathers; HUGE eegs, 25% body weight
• basically nocturnal; poor eyesight, good sense of hearing & smell
• 4 toes; long, down-curved, flexible bill; nostrils at tip, valves at base
• found in New Zealand

• Large, diving waterbirds (carry young on back)
• Long, straight bill (chisel-like) / short neck
• duck-like aquatic birds -- eat mostly fish breed in fresh water, any winter on ocean
• legs far back on body -- foot-propelled diving birds (like Podicipeds)(excellent for diving, difficult for walking)
• 3 front toes fully webbed; spear-shaped bills (palmate feet)
• plumage heavy & waterproof; long-lived, monogamous
• Males and females appear the same; both with alternate and basic plumage
holarctic

• Small – medium-sized diving waterbirds (carry young on back)
• Most chisel-like bill, except pied-billed grebe
• aquatic, diving fish eaters; foot-propelled diving birds
• legs far back on body --facilitates swimming, makes walking on land difficult
• Lobate feet with flattened nails
• tail reduced; dense, satiny plumage; feathers waterproof due to oily secretions
• eat own feathers! the feathers trap fish bones which are digested or regurgitated
• floating nests; carry young on backs
• worldwide

• flightless, but well-developed keel -- marine diving birds; chunky
• flattened wings w/ fused bones -can't be folded in normal manner (flippers)
• plumage dense & waterproof -- feathers not in tracts; heavy layer of fat
• webbed feet -- far back on body, enables upright posture
• Southern Hemisphere

• Birds of the sea, well-adapted for flight
• tube-nosed (tubular nostrils) seabirds (many w/ long thin wings, held stiffly for soaring)
• hooked bill; well-developed sense of smell; plumage dense, waterproof
• gland for concentrating & excreting salt -- in orbit; 3 front toes webbed
• single egg w/ long incubation period --long-lived
• all oceans --more common in southern hemisphere

• Some of the largest seabirds

• Small to large seabirds, gull-like

Pelecanidae (Pelicans) -Brown Pelican

• Very large, gregarious waterbirds

• dive & scoop to get prey - distinctive bill

• Very large gular pouch (also cooperate - herd fish); expandable pouch

• Large seabirds with pointed wings and tail
• chisel-like bill / small, mostly feathered gular sac

• wading birds w/ very long legs and neck
• bill unique -bent abruptly downward in middle; serrated edge; thick fleshy tongue
• maxilla, or upper bill segment, moves; mandible (lower bill segments) is almost rigid
• front toes webbed; produce "milk" like pigeon milk; more or less pink; clutch size =1
• tropics, expect Australia

• long-legged, long-necked -- wade in shallow water
• often breed colonially
• very diverse bill size/shapes (dependent on fishing styles)
• worldwide distribution

Ardeidae (Herons, Bitterns and Egrets)  

• largest family
• specialized vertebrae: allow spearing, folding neck into "S"
• long, spear-shaped bills (eat fish, frogs)
• have powderdowns which aid in feather care
• Medium to large waders, mostly colonial breeders
• slender body,

Threskiornithidae (Ibises & Spoonbills) 

• grooved bills (Ibises --long, curved bills; Spoonbills -- flat, spatulate bills)
• Medium to large waders, highly gregarious
• Long bill – decurved or broadly spatulate
• Front toes webbed at base

Ciconiidae (Storks)

• long, spear shaped bills, often curved at end

Cathartidae (New World Vultures)  

• head & neck bare; lack syrinx
• perforated nostrils
• Large to very large soaring scavengers
• Bare skin on head and neck
• Often seen sunning with spread wings

Anseriformes - Waterfowl - (Swans, Geese, Ducks, Screamers)

• aquatic / semi-aquatic birds that swim and fly well
• short-legged, long-necked; feathered oil-gland; precocial young
• worldwide

Anatidae (Swans, Geese and Ducks)  

• bill flat, wide, rounded at end w/ combed serrations at edges, depressed, lamellate or serrate bill
• legs short w/ 3 toes webbed, palmate feet
• Medium to very large waterfowl,
• highly social during non-breeding season

Anhimidae (Screamers)

• head crested, hooked, chicken-like bill; heavy legs; partial webbing
• 2 spurs at bends in wing

• diurnal birds of prey
• short, strongly hooked bills; sharp, strong feet with grasping claws - curved talons (claws)
• semi-precocial young (downy, eyes open, but dependent for long time)
• worldwide distribution
• Strong fliers
• Females usually larger than male

Accipitridae (Hawks & Eagles)

• wings broad & rounded; short neck
• cere & eye-ring bare -often brightly colored

Falconidae (Falcons)

• wings long & pointed; bill short, hooked; cere & eye-ring bare

• medium to large terrestrial species; strong legs, heavy feet
• Legs well-developed for walking
• primarily ground birds
• hind toe always present, often raised above ground
• Wings short and rounded
• bill short, conical w/ curved culmen (downcurved bill with overlapping tip)
• large clutches, precocial young; often cryptically colored; large muscular gizzard
• worldwide Distribution

• Small birds
• Male usually has erectile crown on head

Gruiformes (Cranes, Rails, Coots and Allies) 

• no crop; most with oil gland; primarily precocial young
• Fly with neck straight
• very diverse -- shared features of palate and skeleton
• many aquatic; many shy, hard-to-see species
• worldwide

• Small to medium-sized waterbirds
• Shy, mostly solitary
• Body compressed laterally
• Bill variable, usually slightly decurved
• Short tail

• waders, swimmers, divers (all water birds or derived from water birds)
• all have distinct palate, syringeal muscles, and vertebral column
• worldwide
• very diverse; many bear no outward resemblance to each other

Scolopacidae (Sandpipers)  

• Small to large shorebirds
• wading birds
• Bill often long, slender, not compressed near tip
• Long toes

Charadriidae (Plovers) 

• Small to medium-sized shorebirds
• Upright posture, rounded head, and short, thick neck
• Bill relatively short and compressed near tip (stubby bills, often swollen at tip)
• Broken-wing display when nest or young approached
• waders

Laridae (Gulls, Terns,, jaegers and skuas) 

• Small to large birds,
• strong fliers (wings long and pointed)
• Often colonial
• opportunistic omnivores, except terns and skimmers (mostly fish)
• Palmate feet, webbed feet
• water birds
• many well-adapted to humans and their constructs (dumps)

          Haematopodidae - Oystercatchers

          Recurvirostridae - Avocets and Stilts

Alcidae (Puffins, Auks, Murres and Guillemots) - Atlantic Puffin

• small medium-sized seabirds with chunky bodies, short necks; pointed wings
• short legs set far back on body; 3 front toes webbed; often black & white
• Northern oceans

• plump-bodies with small heads, short bills, short legs
• large crop -- produces crop milk (for offspring)
• clutch size = 2; biparental care
• worldwide

• large-headed, short-necked; social and vocal
• heavy, hooked bills -- upper mandible (maxilla) quite mobile, hinged to skull
• legs short, feet strong
• zygodactyl feet (2 toes up and 2 back) for perching and climbing
• Primarily Pantropical (few temperate)

• small, crested birds with very long tails -- brown, gray
• pamprodactyl feet (toes 1 & 4 reversible)
• lack apteria (featherless regions)
• restricted to Africa

• Two toes forward, two back with outer hind toe reversible (zygodactyl)
• Long, decurved bill / upper bill not moveable
• Several species parasitic - all Old World and 3 New World species, none in USA

Musophagidae (Turacos & Plantain-eaters)

• formerly placed in their own Order - Musophagiformes
• long-tailed; mostly crested; short, stout, chicken-like bills
• zygodactyl toes w/ reversible out toes; arboreal
• restricted to Africa

Cuculidae (Cuckoos & roadrunners) 

• slender, long-tailed (usually); bill usually thin and down-curved
• zygodactyl feet; 8-10 (instead of 10-14) rectrices
• worldwide; Old World species are parasitic

Opisthocomidae (Hoatzin)

• vegetarian specialist, large crop for fermentation of leaves
• weak flier; wing claws in young
• In South America

• mostly nocturnal birds of prey; small heavily decurved bills
• strong feet with long sharp claws; zygodactyl toes
• large heads & eyes with facial disks that concentrate sound & increase hearing sensitivity
• asymmetrical ear openings in some -- improves localization ability
• specialized telescopic vision
• often feathered legs and toes; outer toe can be reversed
• soft specialized plumage -- muffles sound; cryptically colored
• eyes fixed -- turn head from side to side (up to 270 degrees)
• worldwide
• regurgitate pellets
• female often larger than male

• Facial disk heart-shaped
• Legs longer than tail / tarsus feathered, toes bare

• Facial disk rounded
• Legs shorter than tail / tarsus feathered, toes feathered in some species

• Medium-sized
• nocturnal or crepuscular
• soft plumage, usually cryptic; often long bristles surrounding bill
• short weak legs and feet; long pointed wings; flight strong but erratic
• small bill with wide gape;stiff rictal bristles
• clutch size 1 or 2
• worldwide

• Catch insects on the fly
• Comb on middle claw

• small or very small birds with extremely short legs and weak tiny feet;
• very accomplished fliers
• very small humerus; 10 long primaries, short secondaries
• clutch size 1 or 2

Apodidae (Swifts)

• Small to medium-sized aerial foragers
• tiny bill; gregarious; insect-feeder; sexually monomorphic
• Body streamlined, spend most of their time in the air
• nest on sides of cliffs, caves, hollow trees, chimneys
• worldwide

Trochilidae (Hummingbirds)

• Smallest birds
• long slender bill, pointed (terete); nectar-feeders; solitary
• very agile fliers; sexually dimorphic
• Sternum and flight muscles large, wing rotates at shoulder joint
• Hover when foraging
• Males have irridescent feathers
• New World

• short, wide bills, fruit-eating; very colorful, often iridescent
• short wings, long tails, cavity nesters
• small, weak feet; heterodactyl feet (toes 1 & 2 back, 3 & 4 up)
• pantropical, excluding Australasia

• mostly stocky birds with large heads, prominent bills
• conspicuous; brightly colored; many gregarious and noisy
• small syndactyl feet (two toes 2 & 3 partially fused); mostly long prominent bill; carnivorous
• hole-nesters; altricial young; often cooperative breeders
• worldwide

• Often crested
• Stout body and short neck
• Wings short and rounded

• Zygodactyl feet; long, barb-tipped tongues; pointed, stiff rectrices
• unique arrangement of tendons in toes
• very diverse bill shapes
• Drill into wood for food and excavating nest cavities
• cavity nesters; altricial young
• worldwide, excluding Australasia
• Flight often undulating

• Bill strong, chisel-like
• pointed, stiff rectrices (tail feathers)

•  Feet anisodactyl
•  Distinctive palate
•  Altricial young

• Small to medium-sized songbirds, often edge species
• Suboscine – song poorly developed
• Often drab color
• Forage often by aerial-hawking
• Bill typically broad, flat, hooked at tip / rictal bristles

• Predatory, medium-sized birds
• Large head with strong, hooked bill
• Strong legs with sharp claws
• Often cache food on barbed wire or thorns

• Small birds
• Forage by gleaning from foliage
• Bill heavy, slightly hooked or notched
• Bigger heads and thicker bills than warblers

• Medium to the largest passerines
• Bold, noisy, and gregarious
• Often nest predators
• Rictal bristles
• Intelligent / cache food

• Small to medium-sized passerines
• Walk rather than hop
• Bill pointed, slightly downcurved
• Legs fairly long

• Small to medium-sized birds
• Some colonial nesters
• Strong fliers / wings very long, pointed / forage by aerial hawking
• Bill small / rictal bristles

• Small birds, sociable, energetic
• In winter, form mixed-species flocks
• Bill short, stout
• Cache food

• Small, stocky forest birds
• Climb tree trunks and glean
• Only birds that walk down trunk head first
• Bill thin, pointed, typically straight
• Tail short, square

• Small forest birds that climb trees, as nuthatches, but head up
• Bill slender, pointed, downcurved
• Long, stiff, pointed tail feathers

• Small to medium-sized, chunky, active birds
• Bill slender, often decurved
• Tail usually short
• Several species, tail upright and cocked
• Often found in shrubby habitat

• Very small, very active birds – somewhat fidgety
• Slender bills / sexually dimorphic

• Small to medium-sized birds, constantly in motion / slender bills

• Small to medium-sized birds
• Chunky body, upright posture
• Often hop on ground when foraging
• Straight bill, not pointed
• Several species have melodious songs
• Blue eggs

• Slender, medium-sized birds with long tails
• Tail often cocked, i.e. higher than line of body, when standing
• Versatile singers, mimic other songbirds

• Medium-sized, stocky birds, gregarious
• Short, square tail
• Some are mimics

• Small to medium-sized birds
• Chunky body, but slimmer than thrushes
• Some species bob tail

• Medium-sized birds with prominent head crest
• Highly gregarious frugivores
• Plump body / bill short and thick / medium to long, square tail

• Small to medium-sized birds
• Many species brightly colored and most sexually dimorphic
• Often complex songs
• Mainly insectivores, often glean off foliage
• Slender, pointed bills / rounded tails

• Medium-sized forest birds with stout bills
• Sexually dimorphic, male more brilliant than female

• Small to medium-sized birds, forage mostly on the ground
• Often brown and streaked / short, conical, pointed bills
• Often seen in shrubs

• Medium to large-sized birds, often edge species
• Sexually dimorphic
• Short, stout, conical, pointed bills

• Medium to large-sized birds
• Sexually dimorphic / male usually larger
• Straight, sharply pointed bills

• Small to medium-sized birds, often forest birds
• Sexually dimorphic
• Long, complex songs
• Undulating fast flight / emarginated tail
• Bill stout, conical (crossed in 2 species)

• Small birds with stout, conical bill
• No well-developed song, often repeat single elements