Madagascar elephant bird (Aepyornis titan equal Aepyornis maximus) was found Madagascar up until at least 1830. The elephant bird probably weighed up to one thousand pounds and probably stood about 10 feet in height. The egg was about one foot in length. It is speculated that these birds were vegetarians that fed on low hanging tree branches.

The elephant bird genus (Aepyornis) contained birds endemic to Madagascar. Although most species were extinct by several thousand years ago, one species remained perhaps until the early 1800s. Some believe that several species were found on Madagascar until about 500 A.D. when the island was colonized by man.

Ostrich family (Struthionidae) contains a single species of a large flightless bird that is found in the Old World. However, there are extinct relatives.

In older works, the ostrich, rheas, cassowaries (including the emu), and kiwis were each given their own order. In newer works there are numerous methods of grouping these flightless birds together. Herein we have followed Monroe and Sibley 1993 wherein these flightless birds were each given family status and grouped into the Struthioniformes order.

Aves contains about 8,650 different species of living birds known to science. Each year about one new species is discovered in some remote rain forest or remote island. In addition, scientists have been raising many subspecies to full species status which may raise the species count to 10,000. Birdlife recognizes 10,027 species as of 2011.

However, each year about one species goes extinct. The rate of extinction is increasing, and the rate of new discovery is decreasing, so that the number of bird species will soon begin to decline rapidly. Although different taxonomists would organize the birds differently, there are approximately twenty-seven orders of birds. These orders are broken down into about one hundred and fifty-five different families.

Recent research of the genetic structure of some of the shore birds and owls would indicate that the present organization of orders and families should have some modification.

The birds are a worldwide group of animals that are characterized by having the front limbs modified into wings that are used for flying. Perhaps the most unique feature of the birds is the feathers. These feathers are made up of a central support called a quill and a series of small filaments that are hooked together as barbs.

For many years it was believed that Archaeopteryx discovered in Bavaria was the oldest bird from about 150 million years ago. However, in l986, Sankar Chattterjee, a Texas paleontologist, reportedly discovered a bird in the genus Protoavis that lived about 225 million years ago.

When this project was begun in 1978, we used Austin & Singer for bird taxonomy. Since then, we have adopted many changes, but have kept some older concepts that are still found widely in the literature. Recently, we have used Clements and Howard & Moore. Very recently, we have used Monroe and Sibley for the higher taxonomy of the perching birds.

Backboned Animals (Phylum Chordata) are the most advanced group of animals on earth. These animals are characterized by having a spinal cord or backbone. Most members have a clearly defined brain that controls the organism through a spinal cord. Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are in this phylum.

Currently, some taxonomists believe that the fish should be divided into two groups (sharks and regular fishes) and that there are some other primitive groups in the phylum such as hagfish or lampreys.

Animal Kingdom contains numerous organisms that feed on other animals or plants. Included in the animal kingdom are the lower marine invertebrates such as sponges and corals, the jointed legged animals such as insects and spiders, and the backboned animals such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

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