Personal Project — Bird Families of the World
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These old families were merged into other families |
PREVIOUS FAMILIES |
These are no longer considered to be Families |
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 Dromadidae Emu Emu: 17 Nov 2009 Waikerie, South Australia |
 Dendrocygnidae Whistling-DucksLesser Whistling-Duck: 28 Dec 2012 B. Boraphat, Thailand |
 Pelecanoididae Diving-PetrelsCommon Diving-Petrel: 14 Nov 2009 Haurake Gulf, N.Z |
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considered a subfamily of Casuariidae; merged by all world lists by 2016 |
considered a subfamily of Anatidae; was considered a family by Sibley & Monroe (1990) |
considered a subfamily of Procellariidae;
merged by most world lists by 2016 |
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 Tetronidae Grouse Dusky Grouse: 20 Sep 2015 Dinosaur NM, Colorado |
 Meleagrididae Turkeys Wild Turkey: 17 May 1998 Lake County, California |
 Cochlariidae Boat-billed HeronBoat-billed Heron: 21 July 2010 Porto Jofre, Brazil |
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a subfamily of Phasianidae; was a traditional family until Sibley & Monroe (1990) |
merged into Phasianidae; was a traditional family until Sibley & Monroe (1990) |
merged into Ardeidae; was a traditional
family until ~Sibley & Monroe (1990) |
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 Phalaropodidae Phalaropes Red Phalarope: 9 May 2008 Pebble Beach, CA, USA |
 Sternidae TernsElegant Tern: 13 Aug 2015 Pacific Grove, CA, USA |
 Rynchopidae SkimmersAfrican Skimmer: 24 Jul 2005 Okavango Delta, Botswana |
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considered a subfamily of Scolopacidae; was a traditional family before Sibley & Monroe (1990) |
considered a subfamily of Laridae; was a HBW family but lumped by Sibley & Monroe (1990) |
considered a subfamily by all global lists; was a traditional family & SACC family until 2025
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 Phaenicophaedae Couas & Malkohas Coqueral's Coua: 29 Nov 1992 eastern Madagascar |
 Centropodidae CoucalsBurchell's Coucal: 13 Jul 1996 Kruger NP, South Africa |
 Coccyzidae American CuckoosPuerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo: 27 Mar 2000 El Yunque, P.R. |
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considered a subfamily of Cuculidae; was a family per initial DNA-DNA studies (1980s) |
considered a subfamily of Cuculidae; was considered a family by Sibley & Monroe (1990) |
considered a subfamily of Cuculidae; was
considered a family by Sibley & Monroe (1990) |
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 Crotophagidae Anis & Guira Cuckoo Guira Cuckoo: 21 Jul 2010 Pantanal, Brazil |
 Neomorphidae Roadrunners & allies Greater Roadrunner: 6 Jan 2018 Monterey Co., CA, USA |
 Eurostopodidae Eared-NightjarsDiabolical Nightjar: 28 Sep 2011 Lore Lindu NP, Sulawesi |
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considered a subfamily of Cuculidae; was considered a family by Sibley & Monroe (1990) |
considered a subfamily of Cuculidae; was considered a family by Sibley & Monroe (1990) |
considered a subfamily of Caprimulgidae; was
considered a family by Sibley & Monroe (1990) |
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 Batrachostomidae Asian FrogmouthsPalawan Frogmouth: 13 Dec 2005 Palawan, Philippines |
 Rhinopomastidae ScimitarbillsCommon Scimitarbill: 26 Jul 1996 Kruger NP, South Africa |
 Cerylidae Water KingfishersPied Kingfisher: Aug 2002 Tarangire NP, Tanzania |
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considered a subfamily of Podargidae; was considered a family by Sibley & Monroe (1990) |
considered a subfamily of Phoeniculidae; was considered a family by Sibley & Monroe (1990) |
considered a subfamily of Alcedinidae; was
considered a family by Sibley & Monroe (1990) |
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 Halcyonidae Tree KingfishersBlue-headed Kingfisher: 24 Dec 2005 Mindanao, Philippines |
 Dendrocolaptidae WoodcreepersPlanalto Woodcreeper: 4 Aug 2010 Itatiaia NP, Brazil |
 Phytotomidae PlantcuttersWhite-tipped Plantcutter: 22 Nov 2022 Ceibas, Argentina |
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considered a subfamily of Alcedinidae; merged by most world lists by 2016 |
now a subfamily of Furnariidae; a traditional family until ~2010 [could be re-split in future] |
now merged into Cotingidae; was a traditional family until Sibley & Monroe (1990) |
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 Cracticidae Butcherbirds Black Currawong: 21 Aug 2008 Wielangta Forest, Tasmania |
 Epthianuridae Australian ChatsGibber Chat: 21 Nov 2009 Birdsville Track, South Australia |
 Colluricinclidae Shrike-thrushesGray Shrike-thrush: 11 Aug 2008 Sterling Range, W. Australia |
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now considered merged into Artamidae; was considered a traditional HBW family |
considered embedded in Meliphagidae; was considered a family from ~2000-2015 |
considered merged into Pachycephalidae; was
considered a family from ~ 2005-2015 |
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 Prionopidae HelmetshrikesRetz's Helmetshrike: 24 Jul 2005 Okavango Delta, Botswana |
 Tephrodornithidae WoodshrikesCommon Woodshrike: 11 Mar 2001 Sultanpur Jheel, India |
 Grallinidae Mudnest-buildersMagpie-lark: 1 Jan 1998 Deniliquin, NSW, Australia |
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considered a subfamily of Vangidae; was considered a family from ~1990-2012 |
considered a subfamily of Vangidae; was considered a family from ~1990-2012 |
considered a subfamily of Monarchidae; was
considered a family until ~1990-2006 |
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 Alcippeidae Alcippe Fulvettas Nepal Fulvetta: 17 Mar 2019 Deothang, Bhutan |
 Rhabdornithidae Philippine Creepers Stripe-sided Rhabdornis: 26 Dec 2005 Mindanao, Philippines |
 Drepanididae Hawaiian Honeycreepers 'I'iwi: 24 Mar 2015 Maui, Hawaii |
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proposed by Cai et al. (2019) & accepted by IOC but merged into Leiothrichidae by Avilist (2025) |
considered a subfamily of Sturnidae; was widely considered a family until ~2010 |
now considered embedded within Fringillidae;
was once a traditional and a HBW family |
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 Nesospingidae Puerto Rican TanagerPuerto Rican Tanager: 27 Mar 2000 El Yunque, P. Rico |
 Spindalidae SpindalisesWestern Spindalis: 11 Feb 2017 Cayo Paredon, Cuba |
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now merged into Cettiidae; proposed as family by Fregin et al. (2012) & was IOC family for a time
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proposed by Barker et al. (2013), accepted by AOS, IOC & Clements for a decade, but merged with Phaenicophilidae by AOS (2025) | proposed by Barker et al. (2013), accepted by AOS, IOC & Clements for a decade, but merged with Phaenicophilidae by AOS (2025) | |
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 Tersinidae Swallow-Tanager Swallow Tanager: 18 Nov 2014 Afluenta, Peru |
 Catamblyrhynchidae Plush-capped FinchPlushcap: 17 Jun 1987 Abre Malaga, Peru |
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| merged into Thraupidae; was often a family in lists between 1990-2015 |
considered embedded within Thraupidae; was widely considered a family until late 1980s |
considered embedded into Thraupidae; was widely considered a family until the late 1980s |
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 Icteriidae Yellow-breasted Chat Yellow-breasted Chat: 3 May 2015 Lake Patagonia, AZ, USA |
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| proposed by Barker et al. (2013), accepted by AOS, IOC & Clements for a decade, but merged with Icteridae by Avilist (2025) |
all text & photos © Don Roberson, except as otherwise indicated; all rights reserved