Birds

Passeriformes - A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species.

Galliformes - Craciformes Gallomorphae

Falconiformes - The order Falconiformes is a group of about 290 species of birds that comprises the diurnal birds of prey.

Coraciiformes - The Coraciiformes are a group of usually colourful near passerine birds including the kingfishers, the Hoopoe, the bee-eaters, the rollers, and the hornbills.

Charadriiformes - Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds.

Podicipediformes - Grebes are small to medium-large in size, have lobed toes, and are excellent swimmers and divers.

Strigiformes - Strigidae sensu Sibley & Ahlquist

Caprimulgiformes - The Caprimulgiformes is an order of birds that includes a number of birds with global distribution .

Gruiformes - The polyphyletic order Gruiformes contains a considerable number of living and extinct bird families with little in common.

Ciconiiformes - 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.

Psittaciformes - Characteristic features of parrots include a strong curved bill, an upright stance, strong legs, and clawed zygodactyl feet.

Anseriformes - The order Anseriformes contains about 150 living species of birds in three extant families: the Anhimidae , Anseranatidae , and the Anatidae, which includes over 140 species of waterfowl, among them the ducks, geese, and swans.

Columbiformes - Columbiformes are an avian order that includes the very widespread and successful doves and pigeons, classified in the family Columbidae, and the extinct Dodo and the Rodrigues Solitaire, long classified as a second family Raphidae.

Pelecaniformes - The Pelecaniformes are a order of medium-sized and large waterbirds found worldwide.

Trogoniformes - The trogons and quetzals are birds in the order Trogoniformes which contains only one family, the Trogonidae.

Sphenisciformes - Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica.

Struthioniformes - Gallinae Struthiornithiformes

Procellariiformes - Procellariiformes is an order of seabirds that comprises four families: the albatrosses, procellariids, storm-petrels and diving petrels.

Cuculiformes - The near passerine bird order Cuculiformes traditionally included three families as below:

Coliiformes - The mousebirds are a small group of birds which have no real close affinities to other groups, though they and the parrots and cockatoos may be closer to each other than to other birds.

Tinamiformes - Crypturidae Bonaparte, 1831 Tinamotidae Bonaparte, 1854 Eudromiidae Bonaparte, 1854 Rhynchotidae von Boetticher, 1934

Gaviiformes - Family-level: Colymbidae Vigors, 1825 Colymbinae Bonaparte, 1831 Urinatores Vieillot, 1818 Urinatoridae Vieillot, 1818 Urinatorides Vieillot, 1818

Phoenicopteriformes - Flamingos or flamingoes ) are gregarious wading birds in the genus Phoenicopterus and family Phoenicopteridae.

A feathered, warm-blooded, winged animal is known as the modern day bird. Found covering the entire earth, these ancient creatures have developed a sense of navigation and homing ability to detect the Earth’s magnetic field. There are approximately 9700 species of birds living today.

After the extinction of dinosaurs about 65 million years ago, many bird species disappeared as well. The birds that did survive appear to be related to shorebirds that were large predatory, flightless animals known as Diatrymas, with heads roughly the size of a horse. These Diatrymas replaced the predatory dinosaurs and dined on small mammals. Many species evolving from this Diatrymas, adapted to both land, salt water, and later even urbanized parts of the world. Some birds evolved as human food sources such as chicken and other game birds, others still adapted to rain forest temperatures and environments and still others as arid dwelling birds.

The modern bird species, consisting of Seabirds, pelicans, flamingos, waterfowl, loons, parrots, plantain eaters, songbirds, bee-eaters, hummingbirds, spoon bills and mouse birds, to name a few evolved based on their ability to adapt to the needs of the planet. Modern birds coincide with humanity in their ability to feed on populations of harvest investing insects, small mammals and nuts, seeds and flowering plants; some maintain fish, algae and lichen water populations. Even larger bird species such as ravens, eagles, hawks and vultures control and scavenge smaller bird populations. Clearly, its place in the food chain maintains ecological balance, cleaning seabeds, tree branches, forest floors, farms, and smaller bird populations. The beak or bill of birds helps to determine their diet. The seabird lives on and around water bodies diving for fish. Some species of birds have long beaks for digging for insects in trees and grasses. In general birds eats grains, seeds, insects, fruits, nuts, small animals as well as species like pigeons that have recently been documented with nicotine addictions from scavenging foods and garbage remains in urban communities.

Birds are separated from other animal populations in several ways. They share their unique abilities with some mammals; however, birds have beaks, scales on their legs, feathers and they lay eggs. Mammals have teeth, fur or hair, give live birth and suckle their young; one aspect that birds do not share, this ability to suckle separates birds from other animals. Because of natural selection, even these distinctions are blurred in some species.

Two unique species of birds exist mainly in tropical waters and little populated areas of the world due to deforestation, pollution, and extinction. The Frigatebirds are sea birds that have inflatable colored throat pouches. They do not swim or walk and must take off from a flat surface due to their body weight to wingspan ratio. These birds remain in flight for more than a week and there are only five species worldwide, one of which is in Trinidad. Although you can purchase a plastic Flamingo in any home and garden store, these wading birds that feed on shellfish and algae, have only six species remaining worldwide, most which are again in Trinidad. They fill their large pouch-like beaks with mud and silt from the food they eat. Other populations of unique birds include chickens. In France and Switzerland, these flightless birds have developed featherless necks, abundantly feathered bodies and dark blue bones and cartilage perhaps because of accidental and intentional crossbreeding for use as show or exhibit birds.

For the fear of birds, see 'Ornithophobia'...