list of australasian birds

The birds of Australasia include the following orders and families: (^ denotes flightless birds)

Struthioniiformes

Casuariidae: Three species of emu (two recently extinct), three species of cassowary.
Struthionidae: the Ostrich (introduced to Australia, now feral) ^
Dinornithidae: 11 species of moa, all extinct. ^
Apterygidae: three species of kiwi. ^

Podicipediformes

Podicipedidae: grebes

Sphenisciformes

Spheniscidae: penguins

Procellariiformes

Diomedeidae: albatross
Procellariidae: petrels and shearwaters
Hydrobatidae: storm-petrels

Pelecaniformes

Pelecanidae: pelicans
Anhingidae: darter
Phalacrocoracidae: cormorants and shags
Fregatidae: frigatebirds
Phaethontidae: tropicbirds

Ciconiiformes

Ardeidae: herons and bitterns
Ciconiidae: storks
Threskiornithidae: ibises and spoonbills

Phoenicopteriformes

Phoenicopteridae: Greater Flamingo (very rare vagrant)

Anseriformes

Anseranatidae: Magpie Goose
Anatidae: ducks and allies

Falconiformes (see raptor)

Accipitridae: eagles, hawks, and allies, including the Wedge-tailed Eagle
Falconidae: falcons, Nankeen Kestrel, and Australian Hobby

Galliformes

Megapodiidae: Scrubfowl, Malleefowl and Australian Brush-turkey
Odontophoridae: California Quail
Phasianidae: peafowl, Chukar, and quail

Gruiformes

Gruidae: Sarus Crane and Brolga
Rallidae: Crakes, rails, native-hens and coots.
Otidae: Australian Bustard

Charadriiformes

Pedionomidae: Plains Wanderer
Rostratulidae: painted snipe
Jacanidae: jacanas
Chironididae: sheathbills
Burhindae: stone-curlews
Haematopodidae: oystercatchers
Recurvirostridae: stilts
Charadriidae: plovers, dotterels and lapwings
Scolopacidae: snipe, sandpipers and phalaropes
Glareolidae: pratincoles
Laridae: skuas, terns, jaegers and gulls

Columbiformes

Columbidae: doves and pigeons, including the several bronzewing pigeons

Psittaciformes

Cacactuidae: cockatoos
Psittacidae: parrots, including the Paradise Parrot and Lorikeet

Cuculiformes

Cuculidae: cuckoos
Centropodidae: Pheasant Coucal

Strigiformes

Strigidae: owls, including the Southern Boobook
Tytonidae: barn owls

Caprimulgiformes

Podargidae: frogmouths
Caprimulgidae: nightjars
Aegothelidae: Australian Owlet-nightjar

Coraciiformes

Alcedinidae: river kingfishers
Halcyonidae: tree kingfishers, notably the two kookaburras.
Meropidae: Rainbow Bee-eater
Coraciidae: Broad-billed Roller and Dollarbird

Passeriformes: suborder Tyranni ("suboscines")

Tyrannidae: tyrant flycatchers
Acanthisittidae: New Zealand wrens
Pittidae: pittas

Passeriformes: suborder Passeri ("oscines"), parvorder Corvidia

Menuridae: lyrebirds
Atrichomithidae: scrub-birds
Climacteridae: Australian treecreepers
Maluridae: fairy-wrens, emu-wrens and grasswrens
Meliphagidae: honeyeaters and chats
Pardalotidae: pardalotes, scrubwrens, thornbills, and gerygones
Petroicidae: Australian robins, including the Scarlet Robin
Orthonychidae logrunners
Pomatostomidae Australo-Papuan babblers
Cinclosomatidae: whipbirds and allies
Neosittidae: Varied Sittella
Pachycephalidae: whistlers, shrike-thrushes, pitohuis and allies
Dicruridae: monarch flycatchers, flycatchers, fantails. the Magpie-lark and the drongos. Includes the Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail
Campephagidae: cuckoo shrikes and trillers
Oriolidae: orioles, Figbird
Artamidae: woodswallows, butcherbirds, currawongs and Australian Magpie
Puidisaeidae: birds of paradise
Corvidae: Rook, Australian Raven, Forest Raven, Little Raven, Little Crow and Torresian Crow
Corcoracidae: the White-winged Chough and the Apostlebird
Laniidae: shrikes (rare vagrants)

Passeriformes: suborder Passeri ("oscines"), parvorder Passerida

Ptilonorhynchidae: bowerbirds
Turnagridae: Piopio
Alaudidae: larks
Motacillidae: wagtails and pipits
Prunellidae: Dunnock (introduced)
Passeridae: sparrows and Australian finches
Fringillidae: true finches
Emberizidae: buntings and American sparrows
Nectarinfidae: sunbirds
Dicaeidae: flowerpeckers
Hirundinidae: swallows and martins
Pycrionotidae: bulbuls
Sylviidae: Old World warblers
Zosteropidae: White-eyes, including the Silvereye
Muscicapidae: Old World flycatchers, thrushes and the introduced Common Blackbird
Sturnidae: starlings (mostly introduced)

The final decades of the 20th century saw a massive increase in the information available to taxonomists, particularly through the DNA-DNA hybridisation studies of Charles Sibley and colleagues. As a result, much revision of the traditional classifications has taken place. The family listing above follows the current official list from the Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Several well-known families have been reclassified in recent years, among them:

The Dromaiidae (emus) ^ which are now part of Casuariidae.
The Ephthianuridae (Australian chats) which are clearly honeyeaters and part of the Meliphagidae.
The Acanthizidae which are now lumped with the Pardalotes and form part of the Pardalotidae. (The pardalotes may at some time be split off again, in which case "Acanthizidae" will apply to the remainder once again.)
The Grallinidae (Magpie-lark and Torrent Lark) which are part of the Dicruridae.

List Of Australasian Birds

See also: