Family Heliornithidae Gray 1841 (bird)
Aves - Gruiformes - Heliornithidae
Parent taxon: Gruiformes according to J. F. Clements et al. 2017
See also Carroll 1988, del Hoyo et al. 2014, Livezey and Zusi 2007 and Louchart et al. 2008
Sister taxa: Anisolornis, Aramidae, Asiavis, Bumbanipes, Bumbaniralla, Cariamae, Eurypygae, Grues, Gruidae, Horezmavis, Messelornithidae, Psophiidae, Rallidae, Salmilidae
Subtaxa: Heliopais Heliornis Podica
Ecology: ground dwelling carnivore
Distribution:
• Miocene of Chad (1 collection), United States (1: North Carolina)
Total: 2 collections each including a single occurrence