Palæos:		Unit 380:Passeriformes
The Vertebrates		100: Passeriformes

Passeriformes

Gruimorpha
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Passeriformes ·

Taxa on this Page

1. Passeriformes

Passeriformes: perching songbirds 

Range: fr upOc(?); fl. fr Mc. 

Phylogeny: Gruimorpha: ... Piciformes + *. 

Characters: Small to moderately large modern land birds; aegithognathous palate; large brain size and intelligence; unique syringeal anatomy; unique insertion of forearm muscles; tarsi covered with small scales; large, reversed incumbent hallux; anisodactyl foot; hallux independently moveable; plantar tendons; bundled sperm with coiled head; metabolic rates up to 50% higher than comparable non-passarines of same size; complex nest-building behaviors; altricial young; vocal plasticity. 

Links: Order Passeriformes; Passeriformes; Passeriformes; PASSERIFORMES: Start Page; Aves: Passeriformes - Sperlingsvoegel; http://www.zoonomen.net/avtax/pass.html  

Image: Thryomanes bewickii from Birdsource

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