Dichotomous Key/Aves

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Dichotomous Key: Aves
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Animalia
Subphylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Information related to Aves
Wikipedia
Wikispecies
Wikicommons
Parent key: Chordata
Subphyla
Vertebrata
Key: Aves
Vertebrata
Clerck, 1757

Key to Aves[edit | edit source]

  • Neognathae: Has the ability to fly.
  • 2: Does not have the ability to fly.

2[edit | edit source]

  • 5: Feet are webbed or lobate.
  • 6: Feet are not webbed or lobate.

5[edit | edit source]

  • Spheniscidae: Wings modified into flippers
  • 7: Wings not modified into flippers

6[edit | edit source]

  • 8: Height is over 70 centimeters
  • 9: Height is less than 70 centimeters

7[edit | edit source]

  • 10: Head is solid black or brown
  • 11: Head is at least half white

8[edit | edit source]

9[edit | edit source]

  • 16: Horn-like spongy crest present on forehead
  • 17: No crest present on forehead

10[edit | edit source]

  • 12: Dark brown to tan coloration clearly present in plumage.
  • 13: Dark brown to tan coloration not clearly present in plumage.

11[edit | edit source]

12[edit | edit source]

  • Anas aucklandica: Plumage color change from head to body gradual; Birds of the Auckland Islands.
  • Anas nesiotis: Plumage color change from head to body abrupt; Birds of the Campbell Islands.

13[edit | edit source]

unfinished

  • Nannopterum harrisi, Flightless Cormorant
  • Tachyeres pteneres, Fuegian Steamer Duck
  • Tachyeres brachypterous, Falkland Steamer Duck
  • Tachyeres leucocephalus, Chubut Steamer Duck

14[edit | edit source]

  • Dromaius novaehollandiae: Flaps wings when running; Small claw present at tip of wing.
  • 15: Wings spread while running, acting as sails; Small claw absent at tip of wing.

15: Rheas[edit | edit source]

  • Rhea americana: Adult is over 120 centimeters tall; Weight is 45-60 pounds; Bill measures 8-11 centimeters long; Birds of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
  • Rhea pennata: Adult is less than 120 centimeters tall; Weight is 33-60 pounds; Bill measures 6-9 centimeters; Birds of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru.

16: Cassowaries[edit | edit source]

unfinished

  • Casuarius casuarius, Southern Cassowary
  • Casuarius unappendiculatus, Northern Cassowary
  • Casuarius bennetti, Dwarf Cassowary

17[edit | edit source]

unfinished

  • 18: Kiwis
  • 19: everything else

18: Kiwis[edit | edit source]

unfinished

  • Apteryx australis, Southern Brown Kiwi
  • Apteryx haastii, Great Spotted Kiwi
  • Apteryx mantelli, North Island Brown Kiwi
  • Apteryx owenii, Little Spotted Kiwi
  • Apteryx rowi, Okarito Brown Kiwi

19[edit | edit source]

  • Strigops habroptilus: Two forward facing toes and two backward facing toes
  • 20: Feet not arranged with two facing forward and two facing back.

20[edit | edit source]

  • 21: Chest plumage appearing to have zebra-like black and white stripes.
  • 22: Chest plumage with a solid color or if not, then plumage not appearing to have zebra stripes.

21[edit | edit source]

unfinished

  • Aramidopsis plateni, Snoring Rail;
  • Gallirallus rovianae, Roviana Rail;
  • Gallirallus owstoni, Guam Rail;
  • Gallirallus okinawae, Okinawa Rail;
  • Gallirallus insignis, New Britain Rail also Pink Leg Rail

22[edit | edit source]

unfinished

Tasmanian Nativehen, Gough Island Moorhen, Makira Wood Rail, Samoan Wood Rail, Takahe (bright blue/green plumage), New Guinea Flightless Rail, invisible rail, Red-eyed Crake, Inaccessible Rail, Calayan Rail, Lord Howe Woodhen, New Caledonian Rail, Weka, Woodford's Rail, Giant Coot