Gaviiformes
LOONS:
Aquatic, tarsi coprisse, palmate foot.
Long, straight bill.
Rudimentary tail.
Podicipediformes
GREBES:
Aquatic, tarsi compressed, foot lobed, nails flattened.
Bill varies, usually longish and straight.
Tail rudimentary.
Procellariiformes
TUBE-NOSED SWIMMERS: ALBATROSES, PETRELS, FULMARS:
Pelagic, palmate feet.
Bill hooked, nostrils tubular.
Wings long, narrow.
Mostly black and gray.
Suliformes
GANNETS & CORMORANTS:
Aquatic; totipalmate foot.
Bill with gulag sac, not as pronounced as that of pelicans.
Pelecaniformes
PELICANS, HERONS, EGRETS, IBISES:
Mostly aquatic.
Pelican feet totipalmate; others not webbed with long toes, incumbent hallux.
Pelican legs relatively short, others are long.
Long necks.
Ciconiiformes
STORKS:
Mostly aquatic; long legs, incumbent hallux.
Long neck and slightly decurved bill.
Anseriformes
WATERFOWL: DUCKS, GEESE, SWANS:
Aquatic; feet palmate, hallux elevated and sometimes lobed.
Bill lamellate or serrate (mergansers), broad and depressed with nail-like hook
Accipitriformes
DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY (EXCEPT FALCONS):
Feet Raptorial.
Bill shape, strongly hooked with cere.
Catheriformes
NEW WORLD VULTURES:
Raptor-like, but talons and beak not as sharp.
Large bare heads.
Mostly black.
Falconiformes
FALCONS:
Feet raptorial.
Bill sharp, strongly hooked with cere.
Wings and tail more pronounced than other hawks.
Galliformes
GALLINACEOUS GAME BIRDS:
Body plump, wings short.
Bill short, stout, decurved.
Feet strong, tarsi scutellate or feathered.
Gruiformes
CRANES, RAILS, COOTS:
Size variable, long legs, tail short.
Nostrils perforate.
Charadriiformes
SHORE BIRDS: GULLS, SANDPIPERS, AUKS:
Aquatic; feet palmate or semipalmate.
Features variable, especially bill.
Columbiformes
DOVES & PIGEONS:
Bill small and slender with operculum.
wings, tail long.
Psittaciformes
PARROTS:
Bill strongly hooked, decurved with cere.
Toes long, zygodactyl.
Usually brightly colored, tropical.
Cuculiformes
CUCKOOS:
Bill usually long, compressed, tail long and gradual. feet zygodactyl.
Strigiformes
OWLS:
Feet raptorial.
Bill hooked, decurved with cere.
Plumage soft.
Apodiformes
SWIFTS, HUMMERS:
2 groups very different.
Feet small and weak.
Trogoniformes
TROGONS:
Bill hooked, decurved with several "teeth" in upper mandible.
Tail long.
Tropical, often brightly colored.
Coraciiformes
KINGFISHERS:
Bill long, straight, compressed.
Feet small and week, syndactyl.
Head often crested.
Most species tropical.
Piciformes
WOODPECKERS:
Bill long, straight, chisel-like.
Rectrices acuminate with stiffened tips.
Feet strong, zygodactyl.
O/ Passeriformes
PERCHING BIRDS OR PASSERINES:
Bill, tail, wings, variable.
Feet anisodactyl.
Gaviiformes
LOONS:
Aquatic, tarsi coprisse, palmate foot.
Long, straight bill.
Rudimentary tail.
Podicipediformes
GREBES:
Aquatic, tarsi compressed, foot lobed, nails flattened.
Bill varies, usually longish and straight.
Tail rudimentary.
Procellariiformes
TUBE-NOSED SWIMMERS: ALBATROSES, PETRELS, FULMARS:
Pelagic, palmate feet.
Bill hooked, nostrils tubular.
Wings long, narrow.
Mostly black and gray.
Suliformes
GANNETS & CORMORANTS:
Aquatic; totipalmate foot.
Bill with gulag sac, not as pronounced as that of pelicans.
Pelecaniformes
PELICANS, HERONS, EGRETS, IBISES:
Mostly aquatic.
Pelican feet totipalmate; others not webbed with long toes, incumbent hallux.
Pelican legs relatively short, others are long.
Long necks.
Ciconiiformes
STORKS:
Mostly aquatic; long legs, incumbent hallux.
Long neck and slightly decurved bill.
Anseriformes
WATERFOWL: DUCKS, GEESE, SWANS:
Aquatic; feet palmate, hallux elevated and sometimes lobed.
Bill lamellate or serrate (mergansers), broad and depressed with nail-like hook
Accipitriformes
DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY (EXCEPT FALCONS):
Feet Raptorial.
Bill shape, strongly hooked with cere.
Catheriformes
NEW WORLD VULTURES:
Raptor-like, but talons and beak not as sharp.
Large bare heads.
Mostly black.
Falconiformes
FALCONS:
Feet raptorial.
Bill sharp, strongly hooked with cere.
Wings and tail more pronounced than other hawks.
Galliformes
GALLINACEOUS GAME BIRDS:
Body plump, wings short.
Bill short, stout, decurved.
Feet strong, tarsi scutellate or feathered.
Gruiformes
CRANES, RAILS, COOTS:
Size variable, long legs, tail short.
Nostrils perforate.
Charadriiformes
SHORE BIRDS: GULLS, SANDPIPERS, AUKS:
Aquatic; feet palmate or semipalmate.
Features variable, especially bill.
Columbiformes
DOVES & PIGEONS:
Bill small and slender with operculum.
wings, tail long.
Psittaciformes
PARROTS:
Bill strongly hooked, decurved with cere.
Toes long, zygodactyl.
Usually brightly colored, tropical.
Cuculiformes
CUCKOOS:
Bill usually long, compressed, tail long and gradual. feet zygodactyl.
Strigiformes
OWLS:
Feet raptorial.
Bill hooked, decurved with cere.
Plumage soft.
Apodiformes
SWIFTS, HUMMERS:
2 groups very different.
Feet small and weak.
Trogoniformes
TROGONS:
Bill hooked, decurved with several "teeth" in upper mandible.
Tail long.
Tropical, often brightly colored.
Coraciiformes
KINGFISHERS:
Bill long, straight, compressed.
Feet small and week, syndactyl.
Head often crested.
Most species tropical.
Piciformes
WOODPECKERS:
Bill long, straight, chisel-like.
Rectrices acuminate with stiffened tips.
Feet strong, zygodactyl.
O/ Passeriformes
PERCHING BIRDS OR PASSERINES:
Bill, tail, wings, variable.
Feet anisodactyl.