Types of Birds
A discussion of the types of birds in North America starts by acknowledging the world's approximately ten thousand bird species organized into approximately thirty different orders.
The American Ornithologists' Union (OAU), the institutional standard setter for North American birds listed 2,078 species in twenty eight orders at year end 2011.
Given the fact that the OAU coverage area extends to Mexico and Central America, their list of North American birds doubles the number of bird species associated with North America proper, the area north of the United States-Mexico border.
The American Birding Association (ABA) picks up where the OAU ends, further sorting the OAU list into 969 species with at least an occasional visit to North America proper.
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Assuming continued research, OAU members acknowledge that their particular approach to sorting different types of North American will eventually change, meaning the aggregate species numbers will change.
At the present time, almost one-half of North American bird species fit into the Passeriformes order, the perching birds. Passerines (sparrows, finches, cardinals, jays, crows, warblers and more), as they are collectively known, are the most common birds seen in residential areas and backyard feeders.
The ABA lists 38 different families. A spring time favorite, the colorful Wood-Warblers (Parulidae), heads the family diversity, with 57 species, making at least an occasional or stray visit.
Ten separate families ties for least diversity, having only one North American representative: Accentors (Pruneidae), Bushtits (Aegithalidae), Creepers (Certhdae), Dippers (Cinclidae), Tanagers (Thraupidae), Verdin (Remizidae), Olive Warblers (Peucedramidae), Reed Warblers (Acrocephalidae), Bulbuls (Pycnonotidae), Bananaquits (placement uncertain).
Another eight families list two species each.
Between the extremes lies a family like the Mockingbirds (Mimidae). It counts the Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos), a popular state bird, as one of its dozen members.
The twenty two Passerine families, along with the ten additional orders listed in the box on the right, point to detailed articles, with pictures and videos, that in total provide a sixty five page field guide for North American birds.
With few exceptions, the accompanying pictures and videos show the birds in their natural settings. The article, Bird Photography Tips is offered for people interested in learning more about the subject.
© 2001-2012 Patricia A. Michaels