This article lists living orders and families of birds. In total there are about 11,000 species of birds described as of 2024, though one estimate of the real number places it at almost 20,000. The order passerines (perching birds) alone accounts for well over 5,000 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.
Phylogeny Cladogram of modern bird relationships based on Stiller et al (2024).,Stiller, J., Feng, S., Chowdhury, AA. et al. Complexity of avian evolution revealed by family-level genomes. Nature (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07323-1 showing the 44 orders recognised by the IOC.
Subclass Palaeognathae
The Palaeognathae or "old jaws" is one of the two superorders recognized within the taxonomic class Aves and consist of the ratites and tinamous. The ratites are mostly large and long-legged, flightless birds, lacking a keeled sternum. Traditionally, all the ratites were place in the order Struthioniformes. However, recent genetic analysis has found that the group is not monophyletic, as it is paraphyletic with respect to the tinamous, so the ostriches are classified as the only members of the order Struthioniformes and other ratites placed in other orders.
Order Struthioniformes
Africa; 2 species Family Struthionidae: ostrich
Infraclass Notopalaeognathae
Order Rheiformes South America; 2 species Family †Opisthodactylidae Family Rheidae: rheas
Order Casuariiformes Australasia; 4 species Family Casuariidae: cassowaries and emu
Order Apterygiformes Australasia; 5 species Family Apterygidae: kiwis
Order †Aepyornithiformes Madagascar Family Aepyornithidae: elephant birds
Order †Dinornithiformes New Zealand Family Megalapteryidae: upland moas Family Dinornithidae: great moas Family Emeidae: lesser moas
Order Tinamiformes South America; 45 species Family Tinamidae: tinamous
Subclass Neognathae Nearly all living birds belong to the subclass Neognathae or "new jaws". With their keeled sternum (breastbone), unlike the ratites, they are known as carinatae.
Infraclass Galloanserae
Order Galliformes
Worldwide; 250 species Family †Sylviornithidae Suborder Megapodii Family Megapodidae: megapodes Suborder Craci Family Cracidae: chachalacas, curassows, and guans Suborder Phasiani Superfamily Numidioidea Family Numididae: guineafowl Superfamily Phasianoidea: pheasants and allies Family Odontophoridae: New World quail Family Phasianidae: pheasants and relatives
Order †Gastornithiformes Family Gastornithidae (see Gastornis) Family Dromornithidae: mihirungs
Order Anseriformes Worldwide; 150 species Family Anhimidae: screamers Family Anseranatidae: magpie-goose Family Anatidae: ducks, geese, and swans
Infraclass Neoaves Superorder Mirandornithes
Order Podicipediformes Worldwide; 19 species Family Podicipedidae: grebes
Order Phoenicopteriformes Worldwide; 6 species Family †Palaelodidae: swimming flamingos Family Phoenicopteridae: flamingos
Superorder Columbimorphae
Order Columbiformes Worldwide; 300 species Family Columbidae: pigeons and doves
Order Pterocliformes Africa, Europe, Asia; 16 species Family Pteroclidae: sandgrouse
Order Mesitornithiformes Madagascar; 3 species Family Mesitornithidae: mesites
Grandorder Strisores
Order Caprimulgiformes Worldwide; 97 species Family Caprimulgidae: nightjars
Order Steatornithiformes South America; 1 species Family Steatornithidae: oilbird
Order Nyctibiiformes Americas; 7 species Family Nyctibiidae: potoos
Order Podargiformes
Asia and Australasia; 14 species Family Podargidae: frogmouths
Order Aegotheliformes Australasia; 10 species Family Aegothelidae: owlet-nightjars
Order Apodiformes Worldwide; 478 species Family Hemiprocnidae: treeswifts Family Apodidae: swifts Family Trochilidae: hummingbirds
Grandorder Otidimorphae
Order Cuculiformes Worldwide; 150 species Family Cuculidae: cuckoos and relatives
Order Musophagiformes Africa; 23 species Family Musophagidae: turacos and relatives
Order Otidiformes Africa and Eurasia; 27 species Family Otididae: bustards
Superorder Gruae
Order Opisthocomiformes South America; 1 species Family Opisthocomidae: hoatzin
Order Gruiformes Worldwide; 164 species Suborder Grui: cranes and allies Family Gruidae: cranes Family Aramidae: limpkin Family Psophiidae: trumpeters Suborder Ralli: rails and allies Family †Aptornithidae: adzebills Family Heliornithidae: finfoots Family Sarothruridae: flufftails Family Rallidae: rails and relatives
Order Charadriiformes Worldwide; 350 species Suborder Charadrii Waders and typical shorebirds Infraorder Chionida: thick-knees and allies Family Burhinidae: thick-knees and relatives Family Chionididae: sheathbills Family Pluvianellidae: Magellanic plover Infraorder Charadriida: plovers and plover-like waders Family Charadriidae: true plovers, dotterels, and lapwings Family Pluvialidae: golden plovers (sometimes classified as part of Charadriidae) Family Pluvianidae: Egyptian plover Family Ibidorhynchidae: ibisbill Family Haematopodidae: oystercatchers Family Recurvirostridae: avocets and stilts Suborder Scolopaci Small gregarious waders, including sandpipers, woodcocks, curlews, snipes, and jacanas Infraorder Jacanida: jacana-like waders Family Rostratulidae: painted snipes Family Jacanidae: jacanas Family Thinocoridae: seedsnipes Family Pedionomidae: plains-wanderer Infraorder Scolopacida Family Scolopacidae: sandpipers and relatives Suborder Lari Gulls and allies Infraorder Turnicida Family Turnicidae: buttonquail Infraorder Larida: gulls and allies Family Glareolidae: coursers and pratincoles Family Dromadidae: crab-plover Family Stercorariidae: skuas and jaegers Family Alcidae: auks and puffins Family Laridae: gulls, skimmers and terns
Grandorder Eurypygimorphae
Order Eurypygiformes Neotropics and New Caledonia; 2 species Family Rhynochetidae: kagu Family Eurypygidae: sunbittern
Order Phaethontiformes Oceanic; 3 species Family Phaethontidae: tropicbirds
Grandorder Aequornithes
Order Gaviiformes North America, Eurasia; 5 species Family Gaviidae: loons
Order Sphenisciformes Antarctic and southern waters; 17 species Family Spheniscidae: penguins
Order Procellariiformes Pan-oceanic; 120 species Family Diomedeidae: albatrosses Family Oceanitidae: austral storm petrels Family Hydrobatidae: northern storm petrels Family Procellariidae: petrels and relatives
Order Ciconiiformes Worldwide; 19 species
Family Ciconiidae: storks
Order Suliformes Worldwide; 59 species Suborder Fregatae Family Fregatidae: frigatebirds Suborder Sulae Family Sulidae: boobies and gannets Family Anhingidae: darters Family Phalacrocoracidae: cormorants and shags
Order Pelecaniformes
Worldwide; 108 species Suborder Threskiornithes Family Threskiornithidae: ibises and spoonbills Suborder Pelecani Family Scopidae: hamerkop Family Balaenicipitidae: shoebill Family Pelecanidae: pelicans Suborder Ardeae Family Ardeidae: herons and relatives
Grandorder Afroaves
Order Accipitriformes
Worldwide; 260 species Suborder Cathartae Family Cathartidae: New World vultures Suborder Accipitres Family Sagittariidae: secretarybird Family Pandionidae: osprey Family Accipitridae: hawks, eagles, buzzards, harriers, kites and Old World vultures
Order Strigiformes Worldwide; 250 species Family Tytonidae: barn owls Family Strigidae: true owls
Order Coliiformes
Sub-Saharan Africa; 6 species Family Coliidae: mousebirds
Order Leptosomiformes Madagascar; 1 species Family Leptosomidae: cuckoo-roller
Order Trogoniformes Sub-Saharan Africa, Americas, Asia; 35 species Family Trogonidae: trogons and quetzals
Order Bucerotiformes Old World, New Guinea; 64 species Superfamily Buceroidea Family Bucerotidae: hornbills Superfamily Upupoidea Family Upupidae: hoopoe Family Phoeniculidae: wood hoopoes
Order Coraciiformes Worldwide; 144 species Suborder Meropi Family Meropidae: bee-eaters Suborder Coracii Family Coraciidae: rollers Family Brachypteraciidae: ground rollers Suborder Alcedines Family Todidae: todies Family Momotidae: motmots Family Alcedinidae: kingfishers
Order Piciformes Worldwide except Australasia; 400 species Suborder Galbuli Family Galbulidae: jacamars Family Bucconidae: puffbirds Suborder Pici Family Lybiidae: African barbets Family Megalaimidae: Asian barbets Family Ramphastidae: toucans Family Semnornithidae: toucan barbets Family Capitonidae: American barbets Family Indicatoridae: honeyguides Family Picidae: woodpeckers
Grandorder Australaves
Order Cariamiformes South America; 2 species Family Cariamidae: seriemas
Order Falconiformes Worldwide; 60 species Family Falconidae: falcons and relatives
Order Psittaciformes Pan-tropical, southern temperate zones; 330 species Superfamily Strigopoidea Family Strigopidae: kākāpō Family Nestoridae: kea and kakas Superfamily Cacatuoidea Family Cacatuidae: cockatoos and cockatiel Superfamily Psittacoidea Family Psittacidae: African and American parrots Family Psittaculidae: Australasian parrots Family Psittrichasiidae: Pesquet's parrot, vasa parrots
Order Passeriformes
Worldwide; 6,500 species Suborder Acanthisitti: New Zealand wrens Family Acanthisittidae: New Zealand wrens Suborder Tyranni: suboscines Infraorder Eurylaimides: Old World suboscines Superfamily Sapayooidea Family Sapayoidae: sapayoa Superfamily Eurylaimoidea Family Eurylaimidae: broadbills Family Calyptomenidae: African and green broadbills Superfamily Pittoidea Family Pittidae: pittas Family Philepittidae: asities
Infraorder Tyrannides: New World suboscines Parvorder Tyrannida: bronchophones Family Pipridae: manakins Family Cotingidae: cotingas Family Oxyruncidae: sharpbills Family Onychorhynchidae: royal flycatchers and allies Family Tityridae: becards and tityras Family Pipritidae: piprites Family Platyrinchidae: spadebills Family Tachurididae: many-colored rush tyrants Family Rhynchocyclidae: mionectine flycatchers Family Tyrannidae: tyrant flycatchers Parvorder Furnariida: tracheophones Family Melanopareiidae: crescent-chests Family Conopophagidae: gnateaters Family Thamnophilidae: antbirds Family Grallariidae: antpittas Family Rhinocryptidae tapaculos Family Formicariidae: antthrushes Family Furnariidae: ovenbirds
Suborder Passeri: oscines Infraorder Menurides Family Atrichornithidae: scrub-birds Family Menuridae: lyrebirds Infraorder Climacterides Family Ptilonorhynchidae: bowerbirds Family Climacteridae: Australasian treecreepers Infraorder Meliphagides Family Maluridae: Australasian wrens Family Dasyornithidae: bristlebirds Family Pardalotidae: pardalotes Family Acanthizidae: gerygones, thornbills and allies Family Meliphagidae: honeyeaters and relatives Infraorder Orthonychides Family Pomatostomidae: Australasian babblers Family Orthonychidae: logrunners Infraorder Corvides Superfamily Cinclosomatoidea Family Cinclosomatidae: quail-thrushes and jewel-babblers Superfamily Campephagoidea Family Campephagidae: cuckoo-shrikes Superfamily Mohouoidea Family Mohouidae: whitehead and allies Superfamily Neosittoidea Family Neosittidae: sittellas Superfamily Orioloidea Family Eulacestomidae: wattled ploughbills Family Psophodidae: whipbirds and quail-thrushes Family Oreoicidae: Australo-Papuan bellbirds Family Falcunculidae: crested shriketits Family Paramythiidae: painted berrypeckers Family Vireonidae: vireos, greenlets and shrike-babblers Family Pachycephalidae: whistlers and relatives (Colluricinclidae) Family Oriolidae: Old World orioles Superfamily Malaconotoidea Family Machaerirhynchidae: boatbills Family Artamidae: woodswallows and butcherbirds Family Rhagologidae: mottled berryhunter Family Aegithinidae: ioras Family Pityriaseidae: bristlehead