1. BIRD CLASSIFICATION

3. BIRDS Birds are classified as members of Class Aves.
The major characteristics of this class are:
Adaptations for flight
Appendages modified as wings
Feathers
Endothermy
High metabolic rate
Vertebral column modified for flight
Bones lightened by air spaces
Bill
No teeth

4. ORDER SPHENISCIFORMES
Heavy body
Flightless
Flipperlike wings for swimming
Well-insulated with fat
Example: penguins

6. ORDER STRUTHIONIFORMES
Large and flightless
Wings have many fluffy plumes
Example: ostrich

8. ORDER GAVIIFORMES Strong, straight bill
Adapted for diving (legs far back on body, webbed feet, heavy bones).
Example: Loons

10. ORDER PODICIPEDIFORMES
Short wings
Soft and dense feathers
Webbed feet with flattened nails
Example: Grebes

12. ORDER PROCELLARIIFORMES
Tubular nostrils
Large nasal glands
Long and narrow wings
Example: Albatross

14. ORDER PELECANIFORMES 4 toes joined in common web
Nostrils usually absent
Large gular sac
Examples: Pelicans, Boobies

17. ORDER CICONIIFORMES Long neck, often folded in flight
Long-legged waders
Examples: Storks, Flamingos

19. ORDER ANSERIFORMES Wide, flat bill Undercoat of dense down Webbed feet
Examples: Ducks, Geese, Swans

22. ORDER FALCONIFORMES Strong, hooked beak Large wings Raptor-like feet
Examples: Falcons, Vultures, Hawks, Eagles

26. ORDER GALLIFORMES Short beak Short, concave wings
Strong feet and claws
Examples: Quail, pheasants, turkeys

29. ORDER GRUIFORMES
Many different characteristics.
Example: Crane

31. ORDER CHARADRIIFORMES
Many different characteristics.
Examples: Shorebirds, Gulls

33. ORDER COLUMBIFORMES Dense feathers loosely set in skin
Well-developed crop
Examples: Pigeons, Doves

35. ORDER PSITTACIFORMES Jaw hinged to skull Thick tongue
Reversible 4th toe
Usually brightly colored
Examples: Parrots, Lories, Macaws

39. ORDER CUCULIFORMES Reversible 4th toe Soft, tender skin
Examples: Roadrunners, Cuckoos

42. ORDER STRIGIFORMES Large head with eyes directed forward
Raptor-like foot
Examples: Owls

44. ORDER CAPRIMULGIFORMES
Owl-like head and plumage
Weak bill and feet
Beak with wide gape
Insectivore
Examples: Whipporwills

46. ORDER APODIFORMES
Long wings
Weak feet
Examples: Hummingbirds

48. ORDER CORACIIFORMES Large head Large beak Metallic plumage
Examples: Kingfishers, Bee eaters

50. ORDER PICIFORMES Usually long strong beak
Strong legs and feet with fourth toe permanently reversed in woodpeckers
Examples: Woodpeckers, Toucans

52. ORDER PASSERIFORMES Largest avian order 69 families of perching birds
Perching foot
Varied external features
Examples: Swallows, Larks, Crows, many others