The AOU Checklist (American Ornithological Union) is the official source for bird names (scientific and common). The seventh edition of the Check-list of North American Birds was published in 1998. Since then, five supplements to the check-list have been published. The supplements are available in pdf format at the American Ornithologists' Union website, along with a complete list of North American birds. Classification at the higher taxonomic ranks is in some flux. For example, you'll see on the Animal Diversity Web that some taxa we consider as belonging to the Cardinalidae are placed by them in the Emberizidae (and the Cardinalidae is not recognized).
You now should have some feel for how organisms in general are classified and what the position of a taxon in a classification means. The traditional classification is the one utilized here.
Unfortunately, there is no easy way to learn classifications—it requires blood and sweat, or if not those, tears. There is a lot of sheer memorization. At the same time, we cannot ignore classification; in large part, this is the framework upon which we hang our biological knowledge. The classification given below is not complete, focusing on major groups and on lower ranks important in the Southwest. A few hours of concentrated effort now (with frequent review) will make subsequent material immeasurably easier to retain accurately.
In birds, all taxonomic orders end in "iformes" (unfortunately, not true in mammals). In all zoology, superfamilies end in "oidea," families end in "idae," subfamilies end in "inae," and tribes (a taxonomic rank between subfamily and genus) end in "ini."
Please note that a checklist of birds of the El Paso Region is available on the web. This will serve partly for the lower-level classification. You also may access a more inclusive bird list that encompasses New Mexico through a non-Centennial Museum site. (For practical purposes, virtually everything that occurs in the El Paso Region also occurs in New Mexico.) As can be seen from this list, we can hardly expected to learn all of the El Paso regional birds, let along those farther south that do not make it so far north. Thus we'll look at selected species representing the various groups.
The classification below covers only some of the major taxa of interest in the Chihuahuan Desert Region, and thus is very incomplete. Many of the taxa listed below have links to various places. The orders are linked to the Animal Diversity Web. Links are provided to help you form mental images of the various groups, not for testing purposes. However, it's to your advantage to follow up on them. For the most part, these are to pages that have images and usually also have links to other information, such as classification. The Passeriformes link takes you to a page having links to the various families, which you are encouraged to follow up on.
Subclass Neornithes
Superorder Neognathae
Order Gaviiformes: Loons
Order Podicipediformes: Grebes
Order Pelecaniformes: Pelicans, Cormorants, and relatives
Pelecanidae: Pelecans
Phalacrocoracidae: Cormorants
Order Ciconiiformes: Herons, Storks, Ibises, Spoonbills, and Vultures
Cathartidae: Condors and American Vultures
Ardeidae: Bitterns and Herons
Threskiornithidae: Ibises and Spoonbills
Order Anseriformes: Duck, Geese, and relatives
Anatidae: Ducks, Geese, Swans
Order Falconiformes: Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, etc.
Accipitridae: Eagles, Hawks. Osprey
Falconidae: Caracara and Falcons
Order Galliformes: Grouse, Pheasants, Quail, Turkeys, Hoatzin, etc.
Odontophoridae: Quail
Phasianidae: Grouse, Pheasants, Turkeys, and relatives
Order Gruiformes: Cranes, Rails, and relatives
Gruidae: Cranes
Rallidae: Rails, Gallinules, and Coots
Order Charadriiformes: Shorebirds, Gulls, and relatives
Charadriidae: Plovers
Scolopacidae: Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and allies
Recurvirostridae: Avocets and Stilts
Laridae: Gulls, Terns, and relatives
Order Columbiformes: Pigeons, and Doves
Columbidae: Pigeons and Doves
Order Psittaciformes: Parrots, Macaws, Parakeets, and Lories
Order Cuculiformes: Cuckoos
Cuculidae: Cuckoos, Roadrunners, and Anis
Order Strigiformes: Owls
Tytonidae: Barn-owls
Strigidae: Typical Owls
Order Caprimulgiformes: Goatsuckers, Nighthawks, and allies
Caprimulgidae: Nighthawks, Poorwill, and Whipoorwill
Order Apodiformes: Swifts and Hummingbirds
Apodidae: Swifts
Trochilidae: Hummingbirds
Order Coraciiformes: Kingfishers, Motmots, Hoopoes, Bee-eaters, and Todies
Order Piciformes: Woodpeckers and allies
Picidae: Woodpeckers
Order Passeriformes: Perching Birds
Tyrannidae: Tyrant Flycatchers
Laniidae: Shrikes
Alaudidae: Larks
Hirundinidae: Swallows
Corvidae: Jays, Magpies, Crows, and Ravens
Troglodytidae: Wrens
Muscicapidae: Muscicaprids
Regulidae: Kinglets
Sylviidae: Old World Warblers and Gnatcatchers
Turdidae Turdinae: Thrushes, Robins, Bluebirds, etc.
Mimidae: Mockingbirds, Thrashers, and allies
Emberizidae: Emberizids
ParulidaeWood-Warblers
Thraupidae: Tanagers
Cardinalidae: Cardinals, Grosbeaks, and allies
Icteridae: Blackbirds and allies
Fringillidae: Fringilline and Cardueline Finches and relatives
Passeridae: Old World Sparrows
Last Update: 27 Jun 2006
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