#Slender-billed Cuckoo-Dove

[jontycrane]

Port Moresby Nature Park

Port Moresby Nature Park

Understandably one of the most popular places in Port Moresby, the Nature Park is the best (or at least the easiest and cheapest by some margin) way to see the incredible native animals of Papua New Guinea up close.

The first enclosure was a converted WW2 structure relocated from downtown Port Moresby. It was home to some of the most colourful birds in the park, such as the Eclectus Parrot,…

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Here we go: We’re starting out with the fun ones. Time to vote in the NEORNITHEAN FAMILY you want, and then a specific bird will be picked from that family in the last week of the prelims, solely so that write-ins won’t be necessary. Please READ the below information so that you make an informed voting choice! You have through January 7th!

HIGHLIGHTS & INELIGIBLES 

Palaeognaths

The first major division of modern birds, with the rest being neognaths. All lineages except for the tinamous and lithornithids are flightless. Highlighted families include Lithornithidae (early flighted palaeognaths with long slender bills), Aepyornithidae (elephant birds), Rheidae (rheas), and Dinornithidae (giant moa).  List of ineligible candidates: Struthio (ostriches, family Struthionidae), Casuarius (cassowaries, family Casuariidae), Apteryx (kiwi, family Apterygidae)

Galloanserans

The earliest-diverging  group of neognaths. Modern galloanserans include a wide variety of land and waterfowl. Highlighted families include Pelagornithidae (birds that evolved fake teeth coming out of their beaks), Dromornithidae (large, flightless herbivorous birds that resemble emus or moa), Anatidae (waterfowl such as ducks, geese, and swans), Phasianidae (landfowl such as pheasants, partridges, and turkeys), and Presbyornithidae (duck relatives that mimicked flamingos & lived in the latest Cretaceous).  List of ineligible candidates: Gallus (chicken & junglefowl, family Phasianidae), Pavo (Indian peafowl & green peafowl, family Phasianidae), Gastornis

Strisorians

A group of mostly insect-eating neognaths, including some of the most specialized vertebrate fliers. Highlighted families include Apodidae (swifts, fast flying insectivores that spend much of their lives in the air), Caprimulgidae (nightjars, nocturnal or crepuscular insectivores), Steatornithidae (oilbirds, nocturnal frugivores capable of echolocation), and Trochilidae (hummingbirds, the smallest living birds, capable of hovering flight).  List of ineligible candidates: Nyctibius (potoos, family Nyctibiidae), Mellisuga (bee & vervain hummingbirds, family Trochilidae), Podargus (tawny frogmouth & other members of Podargus, family Podargidae) 

Columbavians

A variety of early-diverging neognaths that are found to form a clade by some studies. Include both tree-dwelling and ground-dwelling species. Highlighted families include Columbidae (pigeons, stout-bodied mainly herbivorous birds that are often kept as pets), Musophagidae (turacos, arboreal frugivores with unique pigments in their feathers), Cuculidae (cuckoos, mainly insectivorous arboreal and terrestrial birds), and Otididae (bustards, terrestrial birds including some of the heaviest modern flying birds).  List of ineligible candidates: Columba (rock dove/pigeon & other members of Columba, family Columbidae), Raphus (dodo, family Columbidae) 

Gruiforms 

A group of mostly ground-dwelling neognaths often associated with water, including the cranes, rails, and their close relatives. Highlighted families include Gruidae (cranes, long-legged omnivorous birds), Rallidae (rails, mostly secretive semi-aquatic birds), Aptornithidae (adzebills, large flightless, possibly predatory, extinct birds from New Zealand), and Heliornithidae (finfoots, grebe-like aquatic birds from the tropics).  List of ineligible candidates: Grus (whooping crane & other members of Grus, family Gruidae) 

Mirandornitheans & Charadriiforms 

Two groups of neognaths that may or may not be closely related, both mainly foraging in or near water. Mirandornitheans include grebes and flamingos, whereas the very diverse Charadriiforms include gulls, sandpipers, auks, and many more. Highlighted families include Phoenicopteridae (flamingos, long-legged filter feeders), Podicipedidae (grebes, diving birds with lobed rather than webbed feet), Scolopacidae (sandpipers, a diverse group that mainly forages on shore), Laridae (gulls, terns, and skimmers, agile fliers that forage near the water surface), and Alcidae (auks, wing-propelled diving birds).  List of ineligible candidates: Pinguinus (great auk, family Alcidae) 

Ardeans

A great diversity of neognaths that mostly hunt in aquatic environments, including some of the most specialized marine dinosaurs. Highlighted families include Spheniscidae (penguins, a semi-aquatic group of flightless birds living mostly in the Southern Hemisphere), Phaethontidae (tropicbirds, a group of seabirds with extremely long tail feathers and very small feet), Gaviidae (loons, diving birds that resemble ducks & geese but are not closely related and are extremely clumsy on land), Pelecanidae (pelicans, birds with large beaks that allow for the consumption of huge quantities of seafood), and Sulidae (boobies and gannets, seabirds that plunge-dive for prey).  List of ineligible candidates: Balaeniceps (shoebill, family Balaenicipitidae), Eudyptula (little blue penguin & Australian little penguin, family Spheniscidae) 

Accipitrimorphs & Opisthocomiforms 

Accipitrimorphs include the majority of diurnal birds of prey. Opisthocomiforms include the hoatzin, an unusual herbivorous South American bird. The two groups are probably not close kin, but a recent study found opisthocomiforms closely related to telluravians, a diverse group of mostly arboreal birds including accipitrimorphs and the remaining bird groups in this survey. Highlighted families include Cathartidae (large scavenging birds mostly from the New World), Accipitridae (hawks, eagles, and Old World vultures), Teratornithidae (giant extinct birds of prey, among the largest flying birds ever to have existed), and Opisthocomidae (the unusual hoatzin and its close fossil relatives).  List of ineligible candidates: Gypaetus (bearded vulture, family Accipitridae), Sagittarius (secretary bird, family Sagittariidae), Opisthocomus (hoatzin, family Opisthocomidae), Harpia (harpy eagle, family Accipitridae) 

Owls

Owls, a group of mostly nocturnal birds of prey. You’ve probably heard of them. Highlighted families include Tytonidae (barn owls and their close relatives), Strigidae (all other modern owls), and a variety of fossil owl groups.  List of ineligible candidates: Tyto (true barn owls, grass owls, & masked owls, family Tytonidae), Athene (burrowing owl & other members of Athene, family Strigidae)

Non-Piciform Coraciimorphs 

Coraciimorphs are a group of mostly tree-dwelling telluravians. Many nest in tree cavities or burrows, and they encompass a diversity of ecologies including predators, fruit-eaters, and omnivores.  Highlighted families include Coliidae (mousebirds, frugivores that climb and hop acrobatically through the trees), Alcedinidae (kingfishers, predatory birds that catch prey by diving from a perch), Bucerotidae (hornbills, omnivorous birds often with bony crests on their large bills), and Trogonidae (trogons, fruit-eating birds with backwards-pointing first and second toes). List of ineligible candidates: Dacelo (kookaburras, family Alcedinidae), Pharomachrus (true quetzals, family Trogonidae), Upupa (hoopoes) 

Piciforms 

A particularly diverse group of coraciimorphs including woodpeckers and barbets. Highlighted families include Gracilitarsidae (small, long-legged extinct piciforms that may have been agile fliers), Galbulidae (jacamars, long-billed insectivores with shiny plumage), Picidae (woodpeckers, tree-climbing birds that drill holes in trees while foraging and nesting), and Ramphastidae (toucans, particularly large-billed barbets from the Neotropics).  List of ineligible candidates: None 

Cariamiforms & Falcons

Two groups of mostly predatory telluravians. Cariamiforms are ground birds whereas falcons are mainly fast aerial hunters. Highlighted families include Ameghinornithidae (extinct herbivorous ground birds that may not actually be cariamiforms - but what they actually are is poorly studied), Phorusrhacidae (terror birds, often large-bodied extinct flightless predatory birds), Cariamidae (seriemas, long-legged predatory birds with retractable second toes), and Falconidae (falcons, mostly fast-flying predators as mentioned previously).  List of ineligible candidates: Falco peregrinus (peregrine falcon, family Falconidae), Titanis, Phorusrhacos (both family Phorusrhacidae) 

Parrots

A group of intelligent, large-beaked birds that are often distinguished by their colorful feathers and complicated vocalizations. Often times are kept as pets, though none are domesticated. Highlighted families include Cacatuidae (cockatoos, cockatiels & relatives, large parrots with crests and extreme loudness), Psittaculidae (parrots such as lovebirds, lorikeets, and Asian parrots - so a very diverse group), Psittacidae (macaws, parakeets, amazon parrots, and caiques), and Messelasturidae (extinct relatives of parrots that were birds of prey)  List of ineligible candidates: Strigops (kakapo, family Strigopidae), Psittacus (African grey parrot & Timneh parrot, family Psittacidae) 

Non-Corvidan Non-Passeridan Passerines 

Passerines (or perching birds) are mostly small-bodied insect- and seed-eating birds, as well as the majority of modern bird species. The following are passerines and passerine-like birds that do not belong to two of the more specific passerine groups Corvida and Passerida. Highlighted families include Zygodactylidae (extinct passerine relatives with backward-pointing first and fourth toes like parrots), Pipridae (manakins, a group of Neotropical passerines in which the males often perform elaborate courtship dances), Pittidae (pittas, often colorful birds that live on the forest floor), Tyrannidae (tyrant flycatchers, insect-eating passerines that often aggressively mob predatory birds), and Menuridae (lyrebirds, terrestrial birds known for vocal mimicry, males have elaborate tail plumage). List of ineligible candidates: None 

Corvidans 

One of the most diverse passerine clades, including the groups closely related to crows. Highlighted families include Oriolidae (orioles, arboreal Old World omnivores including a few species with poisonous feathers), Paradisaeidae (birds of paradise, Australasian passerines in which the males often have extravagant plumage and spectacular courtship rituals), Vangidae (vangas, a group of Madagascan passerines with very diverse ecologies), Laniidae (shrikes, predatory passerines that impale prey on pointed objects), and Corvidae (crows, jays, and magpies, highly intelligent omnivores).  List of ineligible candidates: Corvus (crows, ravens, and rooks), Cyanocitta (blue jay & Steller’s jay) (both family Corvidae)

Passeridans

Another of the most diverse passerine clades, including the groups closely related to sparrows. Highlighted families include Picathartidae (rockfowl, bald-headed African passerines that nest under rocky overhangs), Paridae (tits, small acrobatic omnivores that mainly forage in trees), Sittidae (nuthatches, small passerines that forage by descending tree trunks headfirst), Nectariniidae (sunbirds, mostly nectar-eating Old World passerines), and Thraupidae (tanagers, a diverse group of often brightly-colored Neotropical passerines, including the famous Darwin’s finches).  List of ineligible candidates: Parus (great, Japanese, cinereous, & green-backed tits, family Paridae)