Bird
A bird is a type of warm-blooded vertebrate animal. Their distinguishing characteristics are that they are covered with feathers and their forelimbs have become wings (even on species that cannot fly).
Most birds can fly, but there are also aquatic and terrestrial species. Birds are the closest living relatives to dinosaurs.
Excluding extinct species, birds may be classified into the following orders:
- Tinamiformes (tinamous)
- Struthioniformes (ostriches)
- Rheiformes (rheas)
- Casuariiformes (cassowaries and emus)
- Apterygiformes (kiwis)
- Gaviiformes (divers)
- Podicipediformes (penguins)
- Procelariiformes (albatrosses, shearwaters, petrels)
- Pelecaniformes (tropicbirds, pelicans), gannets, cormorants, frigatebirds)
- Ciconiiformes (herons, ibises, spoonbills, storks)
- Phoenicopteriformes (flamingos)
- Anseriformes (ducks, swans, geese and other water fowl)
- Falconiiformes (vultures, hawks, eagles, ospreys, falcons and other birds of prey)
- Galliformes (grouse, pheasants, guineafowl, turkeys)
- Gruiformes (quails, rails, coots, cranes, bustards)
- Charadriiformes (snipes, curlews, plovers, lapwings, oystercatchers, sandpipers, avocets, skuas, gulls, terns, auks, guillemots, puffins)
- Columbiformes (sandgrouse, doves, pigeons)
- Psittaciformes (parrots, budgerigars, macaws, cockatoos)
- Cuculiformes (cuckoos)
- Strigiformes (owls)
- Caprimulgiformes (nightjars)
- Apodiformes (swifts, humming birds)
- Coliiformes (colies, trogons)
- Coraciiformes (kingfishers, hoopoes, hornbills)
- Piciformes (woodpeckers, toucans)
- Passeriformes (passerine birds, by far the largest order)