Corvida

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Corvida
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Suborder: Passeri
Parvorder: Corvida
Families

See text

The "Corvida" were one of two "

infraorder
.

More recent research suggests that this is not a distinct

basal
among the Passeri.

It was presumed that

phylogeny, this trait is rather the result of parallel evolution, perhaps because the early Passeri had to compete against many ecologically similar birds (see near passerine).[citation needed
]

Placement of "Corvida" families

This table lists, in taxonomic order, the families placed in "Corvida" by the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy in the left column. The right column contains details of their placement in modern systematics.

Corvoidea and Meliphagoidea are placed basally among the Passeri too. They are, however, groups large enough to be considered superfamilies in their own right.

Family Modern placement
Menuridae
: lyrebirds
Basalmost
Passeri
, close to Atrichornithidae
Atrichornithidae
: scrub-birds
Basalmost Passeri, close to Menuridae
Climacteridae
: Australian treecreepers
Basal Passeri, close to Ptilonorhynchidae
Ptilonorhynchidae
: bowerbirds
Basal Passeri, close to Climacteridae
fairy-wrens, emu-wrens and grasswrens
Meliphagoidea. Nowadays several families.
Meliphagidae
: honeyeaters and allies
Meliphagoidea
scrubwrens, thornbills, and gerygones
Meliphagoidea. Nowadays several families; Pardalotidae proper might belong in Meliphagidae
Petroicidae
: Australasian robins
Passeri incertae sedis, close to Picathartidae
Orthonychidae: logrunners Passeri incertae sedis, close to Pomatostomidae
Pomatostomidae
: Australasian babblers
Passeri incertae sedis, close to Orthonychidae
Cinclosomatidae: whipbirds and allies Corvoidea incertae sedis, relationships with Pachycephalidae unresolved
Neosittidae
: sittellas
Corvoidea
shrike-thrushes, pitohuis
and allies
Corvoidea incertae sedis, highly
paraphyletic
and relationships with Cinclosomatidae unresolved
and allies Corvoidea. Possibly paraphyletic
Campephagidae: cuckoo-shrikes and trillers (initially included in Laniidae)[verification needed
]
Corvoidea
Oriolidae
: orioles and figbirds
Corvoidea
Icteridae: American blackbirds/orioles, grackles and cowbirds
Passeroidea
(the most "modern" main lineage of songbirds)
Artamidae: woodswallows, butcherbirds, currawongs and Australian magpie Corvoidea
Paradisaeidae
: birds of paradise
Corvoidea
Cnemophilidae
: satinbirds (included in Paradisaeidae)
Passeri incertae sedis, possibly close to Callaeidae
Corvidae: crows, ravens, jays, etc. Corvoidea
Corvoidea
Irenidae
: fairy-bluebirds
Passeri incertae sedis; close to Passeroidea or
Regulidae
(kinglets)
Laniidae
: shrikes
Corvoidea
Prionopidae
: helmetshrikes (initially included in Laniidae)
Corvoidea
Malaconotidae
: bush-shrikes and allies (initially included in Laniidae)
Corvoidea
Vireonidae
: vireos
Corvoidea
Vangidae
: vangas
Corvoidea
Turnagridae
: piopios
Corvoidea (included in Oriolidae)
Callaeidae: New Zealand wattlebirds Passeri incertae sedis, possibly close to Cnemophilidae

In addition, the following families were not included in the "Corvida" although their closest relationships are with taxa included therein:

Family Sibley-Ahlquist placement Modern placement
Platysteiridae
: wattle-eyes
Passerida (included in
Muscicapidae
)
Corvoidea
Picathartidae
: rockfowl
Passerida Passeri incertae sedis, close to Petroicidae
Chaetopidae
: rockjumpers
Passerida (
Turdidae
)
Passeri incertae sedis, close to Petroicidae
Melanocharitidae: berrypeckers and longbills Passerida Passeri incertae sedis, possibly close to Cnemophilidae
Paramythiidae
: tit berrypecker and crested berrypecker
Passerida (included in Melanocharitidae) Passeri incertae sedis, possibly close to Cnemophilidae

Footnotes

  1. ^ Cockburn (1996)

References

  • Cockburn, A. (1996): Why do so many Australian birds cooperate? Social evolution in the Corvida. In: Floyd, R.; Sheppard, A. & de Barro, P. (eds.): Frontiers in Population Ecology: 21–42. CSIRO, Melbourne.