Xenospiza
Distracted
Based on Hackett et al (see for their tree: http://scienceblogs.com/evolgen/2008/06/the_evolutionary_history_of_bi.php) and on old tastes, I have tried to put together a sequence that makes sense...
The ♦ denotes the start of an obvious clade, ▬ a branch (usually within the clade) that may have less or more support and that I may have moved about a bit.
It may be clear that I see no need to translate a tree literally into a linear sequence... there may be better alternatives (trying to get the "seabirds" behind the ducks would probably please many fieldguide users).
♦Ratites
♦♦Megapodes, Cracids, Pheasants, Ducks
♦♦♦Flamingos, Grebes
▬ Tropicbirds [skeleton apparently quite similar to grebes]
▬ Sandgrouse
▬ Mesites, Pigeons [groups with unclear relationships moved about to get a more familiar linear sequence]
▬ Potoos, oilbird, Nightjars, Owlet-Nightjars, Swifts, Hummingbirds
▬ Sunbittern, Kagu [basal to "nightbird/swift clade", but moved to back to allow continuity of "gruiform" birds]
♦♦♦♦Bustards, Cranes, Trumpeters, Rails, Cuckoos [changed sequence somewhat to allow continuity of "gruiform" birds, and get a nice "odd tree dweller" group]
▬ Hoatzin [moved away from other badly supported groups I've left in the Metaves arrangement]
▬ Turacos [basal to next clade according to Hackett, so would follow Hoatzin anyway: placed here for clarity]
♦♦♦♦♦Divers, Penguins, Tubenoses, Frigatebirds, Gannets, Cormorants, Pelicans, Shoebill, Hammerkop, Herons, Ibises, Storks [a sequence most of us will recognise again; "flipped" Hackett's trees to get a more familiar sequence]
♦♦♦♦♦♦Thick-knees, Egyptian-plover, Plovers, Oystercatchers, Avocets, Sandpipers, Jacanas, Painted-snipe, Seed-snipe, Plains-wanderer, Buttonquails, Coursers & Pratincoles, Skuas, Gulls & Terns, Auks [Buttonquails most surprising?]
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦Cuckoo-roller
▬ Trogons, Hoopoes, Hornbills, Bee-eaters, Rollers, Kingfishers etc, Puffbirds, Jacamars, Barbets & Toucans, Honeyguides, Woodpeckers [pretty much in the sequence expected]
▬ Mousebirds [basal in this clade but placed near owls & hawks: moved not disturb "raptor grouping" or "coraciid/picid grouping"]
▬ Owls [basal in this clade, moved to get a "raptor grouping"]
▬ Hawks, New World Vultures
▬ Seriemas, Falcons, Parrots, Passerines
The ♦ denotes the start of an obvious clade, ▬ a branch (usually within the clade) that may have less or more support and that I may have moved about a bit.
It may be clear that I see no need to translate a tree literally into a linear sequence... there may be better alternatives (trying to get the "seabirds" behind the ducks would probably please many fieldguide users).
♦Ratites
♦♦Megapodes, Cracids, Pheasants, Ducks
♦♦♦Flamingos, Grebes
▬ Tropicbirds [skeleton apparently quite similar to grebes]
▬ Sandgrouse
▬ Mesites, Pigeons [groups with unclear relationships moved about to get a more familiar linear sequence]
▬ Potoos, oilbird, Nightjars, Owlet-Nightjars, Swifts, Hummingbirds
▬ Sunbittern, Kagu [basal to "nightbird/swift clade", but moved to back to allow continuity of "gruiform" birds]
♦♦♦♦Bustards, Cranes, Trumpeters, Rails, Cuckoos [changed sequence somewhat to allow continuity of "gruiform" birds, and get a nice "odd tree dweller" group]
▬ Hoatzin [moved away from other badly supported groups I've left in the Metaves arrangement]
▬ Turacos [basal to next clade according to Hackett, so would follow Hoatzin anyway: placed here for clarity]
♦♦♦♦♦Divers, Penguins, Tubenoses, Frigatebirds, Gannets, Cormorants, Pelicans, Shoebill, Hammerkop, Herons, Ibises, Storks [a sequence most of us will recognise again; "flipped" Hackett's trees to get a more familiar sequence]
♦♦♦♦♦♦Thick-knees, Egyptian-plover, Plovers, Oystercatchers, Avocets, Sandpipers, Jacanas, Painted-snipe, Seed-snipe, Plains-wanderer, Buttonquails, Coursers & Pratincoles, Skuas, Gulls & Terns, Auks [Buttonquails most surprising?]
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦Cuckoo-roller
▬ Trogons, Hoopoes, Hornbills, Bee-eaters, Rollers, Kingfishers etc, Puffbirds, Jacamars, Barbets & Toucans, Honeyguides, Woodpeckers [pretty much in the sequence expected]
▬ Mousebirds [basal in this clade but placed near owls & hawks: moved not disturb "raptor grouping" or "coraciid/picid grouping"]
▬ Owls [basal in this clade, moved to get a "raptor grouping"]
▬ Hawks, New World Vultures
▬ Seriemas, Falcons, Parrots, Passerines