Bird Taxonomy

Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming a living species with proper classification and hierarchical arrangement. Its a discipline of biology that discovers and define TAXA (a unit) as per rules and nomenclature. In simple words, taxonomy is the process of assigning a scientific name to a plant or a animal.

Carolus Linnaeus (Carl von Linne) first developed a classification system for all animals in 1758. He divided animal kingdom in smaller groups or seven levels on the basis of common elements. Birds were described as class AVES. Further scientific or zoological names of birds came into existence on the basis of various theories and studies as the most recent is the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy based on DNA hybridization.

Scientific Name of a bird consists of two parts first being the Genus and other that often describes a prominent feature of the bird. These names are in Latin.

Following is the list of Bird Taxonomy with a link to the list of birds belonging to a particular taxonomy.

	Taxonomy	Description
1	Accipitriformes	Buzzards, condors, eagles, harriers, hawks, kites, osprey, secretary bird, vultures.
2	Anseriformes	Waterfowl like ducks, swan, geese.
3	Apodiformes	Swifts, hummingbirds, treeswifts.
4	Bucerotiformes	Hornbills
5	Caprimulgiformes	Nightjars
6	Charadriiformes	Plovers and allies
7	Ciconiiformes	Storks and allies
8	Coliiformes	Mousebirds
9	Columbiformes	Doves and pigeons
10	Coraciiformes	Kingfishers
11	Cuculiformes	Cuckoos
12	Falconiformes	Falcons
13	Galliformes	Fowl
14	Gaviiformes	Loons
15	Gruiformes	Cranes and allies
16	Passeriformes	Passerines
17	Pelecaniformes	Pelicans and allies
18	Phoenicopteriformes	Flamingos
19	Piciformes	Woodpeckers and allies
20	Podicipediformes	Grebes
21	Procellariiformes	Albatrosses, petrels, and allies
22	Psittaciformes	Parrots and allies
23	Pteroclidiformes	Sandgrouse
24	Sphenisciformes	Penguins
25	Strigiformes	Owls
26	Struthioniformes	Ostrich, emus, kiwis, and allies
27	Tinamiformes	Tinamous
28	Trochiliformes	Hummingbirds
29	Trogoniformes	Trogons
30	Turniciformes	Button-quail
31	Upupiformes	Hoopoe