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The evolution of birds began in the Jurassic Period, with the earliest birds derived from a clade of theropod dinosaurs named Paraves. [1] Birds are categorized as a biological class, Aves. For more than a century, the small theropod dinosaur Archaeopteryx lithographica from the Late Jurassic period was considered to have been the earliest bird.
Birds may be classified by terms related to the types of foods they forage for and eat. [141] The -vore suffix is derived from the Latin vorare, meaning 'to devour'. Equivalent adjectives can be formed through use of the suffix -vorous. [142] For example, granivore (n.) / granivorous (adj.). Generally, classification terms are used based on ...
A turning point came in the early twentieth century with the writings of Gerhard Heilmann of Denmark.An artist by trade, Heilmann had a scholarly interest in birds and from 1913 to 1916, expanding on earlier work by Othenio Abel, [12] published the results of his research in several parts, dealing with the anatomy, embryology, behavior, paleontology, and evolution of birds. [13]
Birds feature in the flag designs of 17 countries and numerous subnational entities and territories. [326] Birds are used by nations to symbolise a country's identity and heritage, with 91 countries officially recognising a national bird. Birds of prey are highly represented, though some nations have chosen other species of birds with parrots ...
Fowl are birds belonging to one of two biological orders, namely the gamefowl or landfowl (Galliformes) and the waterfowl (Anseriformes).Anatomical and molecular similarities suggest these two groups are close evolutionary relatives; together, they form the fowl clade which is scientifically known as Galloanserae or Galloanseres (initially termed Galloanseri) (Latin gallus ("rooster") + ānser ...
In this list of birds by common name 11,278 extant and recently extinct (since 1500) bird species are recognised. [1] Species marked with a "†" are extinct.
In phylogenetics, an apomorphy (or derived trait) is a novel character or character state that has evolved from its ancestral form (or plesiomorphy). [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ] A synapomorphy is an apomorphy shared by two or more taxa and is therefore hypothesized to have evolved in their most recent common ancestor .
Passerines, the "song birds". This is the largest order of birds and contains more than half of all birds. Family Acanthisittidae. Genus Acanthisitta - rifleman; Genus Xenicus - New Zealand wrens; Family Acanthizidae - scrubwrens, thornbills, and gerygones Genus Acanthiza – thornbill; Genus Acanthornis – scrubtit; Genus Aethomyias ...