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.
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belted kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon |
belted kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon |
belted kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon |
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Eskimo curlew Numenius borealis |
snowy owl Nyctea scandiaca |
snowy owl Nyctea scandiaca |
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broad-billed prion Pachyptila vittata |
broad-billed prion Pachyptila vittata |
Indian peafowl Pavo cristatus |
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white-faced storm petrel Pelagodroma marina |
white-faced storm petrel Pelagodroma marina |
common diving petrel Pelecanoides urinatrix |
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common diving petrel Pelecanoides urinatrix |
double-crested cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus |
common poorwill Phalaenoptilus nuttallii |
