Parent taxon: Aves according to N. A. Smith 2014
See also Carroll 1988, del Hoyo et al. 2014, Gadow 1898, Guthrie 1992, Hay 1930, Hope 2002, Jaekel 1911, Livezey and Zusi 2007, Mayr 2005, Mayr 2007, Parmalee 1992, Prum et al. 2015, Sepkoski 2002, Slack et al. 2006, Smith 2011, Smith and Clarke 2011, Smith and Mayr 2013, Smith et al. 2007, Wetmore 1940 and Wetmore 1960
Sister taxa: Accipitriformes, Alaripeda, Archaeornithipus, Archornithes, Aucornis, Avimimiformes, Avipedidae, Barrosopus, Bucerotiformes, Chaoyangornithidae, Climacarthrus, Dolichopterus, Dromiceiidae, Eoaves, Eociconia, Eopteryx, Eucavitaves, Eupterornis remensis, Eurhipidurae, Euryonotus, Falconiformes, Fontinalis, Gansuiformes, Gobioolithidae, Gruipeda, Gyeongsangornipes, Ibidopodia, Ignotornidae, Jeholornis, Jindongornipodidae, Jixiangornis, Koreanaornipodidae, Kuszholiidae, Liaoxiornithidae, Limiavipedidae, Loncornis, Longipennes, Manu, Metornithes, Micropodiformes, Minerva, Mirandornithes, Moguiornipes, Musophagiformes, Mystiornithiformes, Neornithes, Odontoglossae, Odontopterygiformes, Odontornithes, Omnivoropterygiformes, Onychopteryx, Pachycorioolithidae, Palaeoaves, Palaeolestes, Palaeopsittacus, Paludicolae, Pancharadriiformes, Pangalliformes, Panmirandornithes, Pansphenisciformes, Parvoolithus, Patagonichnornis, Paxavipedidae, Phaethontiformes, Platanavis, Plectophora, Praeornithes, Proherodius, Proherodius oweni, Proornis, Protoaviformes, Protopelargus, Protornis, Psittacopasseres, Psittacopedidae, Pygostylia, Qianshanornithidae, Querandiornis, Riacama, Sauriurae, Shandongornipodidae, Shenzhouraptor, Smiliornis, Tantalatos, Tantaleus, Tatarornipes, Telluraves, Telmatoformes, Teracus, Tricorynopus brinkmani, Tridentigerpes, Tshulia, Uhangrichnus, Yacoraitichnus, Yalavis
Subtaxa: Alcae Alcoidae Burhinidae Charadrii Charadriisimilis Chionidae Cimolopterygidae Dakotornithidae Elseyornis Erythrogonys Graculavidae Graculavus Haematopodidae Hydrophasianus Jacanidae Lari Limicolae Panalcidae Parrae Pedionomae Pedionomidae Peltohyas Phegornis Pluvianellus Pluvianidae Recurvirostridae Rhinoptilus Sarjeantopodus Scolopaci Scolopacidae Stercorariidae Telmatornis Telmatornithidae Thinocoridae Thinornis Turnicidae Volgavis
Ecology: ground dwelling carnivore