Passeriformes – Passerine

This dominant order represents 60% of birds sometimes known as perching birds or songbirds

These ‘perching birds’ are distinguished from other orders by the arrangement of their toes – three toes pointing forward and one backward – a physical characteristic that helps them perch on trees.

These birds are collectively small to medium-sized birds ranging in length anywhere from as small as 7.6 cm (3 inches) long to 1.4m (45 inches) in overall size. New world flycatchers are among the smallest in the order, while the heaviest include ravens and lyrebirds. The longest is the spectacular-looking Bird of Paradise with its lengthy tail feathers.

Other common birds of this order are house sparrows, swallows, cuckoos, bulbuls, and many thousand of others.