Why are there birds on the reptiles page?
Overwhelming physical, fossil, and molecular evidence has now convincingly established that birds, as a group, fall within the group Reptilia. Birds are the closest living relatives of crocodiles, which are traditionally included in Reptilia, so birds fall within that group as well. Please see our information on Reptilia for more information relevant to this debate, and our details on how animals are classified.
Because we have more specimens of birds than of reptiles (a function mainly of their popularity with people), these specimens seem to be weighted towards birds.
|
|
|
|
common loon Gavia immer |
common loon Gavia immer |
Indian gharial Gavialis gangeticus |
|
|
|
|
Indian gharial Gavialis gangeticus |
Indian gharial Gavialis gangeticus |
Indian gharial Gavialis gangeticus |
|
|
|
|
sandhill crane Grus canadensis |
sandhill crane Grus canadensis |
California condor Gymnogyps californianus |
|
|
|
|
bicoloured antbird Gymnopithys leucaspis |
bicoloured antbird Gymnopithys leucaspis |
huia Heteralocha acutirostris |
|
|
|
|
amphisbaenians, lizards, snakes, and tuataras Lepidosauria |
southern giant petrel Macronectes giganteus |
belted kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon |
