Passerida is, under the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy, one of two "parvorders" contained within the suborder Passeri (standard taxonomic practice would place them at the rank of infraorder). While more recent research suggests that its sister parvorder, Corvida, is not a monophyletic grouping, the Passerida as a distinct clade are widely accepted.
Systematics and phylogeny
The Passerida quite certainly consist of the 3 major subclades outlined by Sibley & Ahlquist (1990). However, their content has been much revised. In addition, it has turned out that not all passeridan lineages neatly fit into this arrangement. The kinglets are so distinct that they might actually form a separate infraorder, as they are only slightly less basal than the Corvoidea or the Picathartidae. See Jønsson & Fjeldså (2006) for details on phylogeny.
Mostly insectivores, distribution centered on the Indo-Pacific region. Few occur in the Americas.
Alaudidae: larks
Hirundinidae: swallows and martins
Phylloscopidae: leaf-warblers and allies. Recently split from Sylviidae.
Aegithalidae: long-tailed tits
Cettiidae: ground-warblers and allies. Recently split from Sylviidae.
Megaluridae: grass-warblers and allies. Recently split from Sylviidae.
Bernieridae: Malagasy warblers. A newly assembled family.
Acrocephalidae: marsh- and tree-warblers. Recently split from Sylviidae.
Pycnonotidae: bulbuls
Cisticolidae: cisticolas and allies
Sylviidae: "true/sylviid warblers" and parrotbills. Might be merged into Timaliidae. Monophyly needs confirmation.
Zosteropidae: white-eyes. Probably belongs into Timaliidae.
Timaliidae: babblers. Monophyly needs confirmation.
Sylvioidea incertae sedis
"African warblers": A proposed clade, but monophyly needs confirmation. Formerly in Sylviidae.
Donacobius: black-capped donacobius. Monotypic family? Tentatively placed here; possibly closest to Megaluridae. Formerly in Troglodytidae.
Nicator: Relationships unresolved, monotypic family? Tentatively placed here; formerly in Pycnonotidae.
Panurus: bearded reedling (bearded "tit"). Relationships enigmatic, monotypic family Panuridae? Tentatively placed here; formerly in "Paradoxornithidae".
Mostly insectivores, near-global distribution centered on Old World tropics. One family is endemic to the Americas.
Cinclidae: dippers
Muscicapidae: Old World flycatchers and chats. Monophyly needs confirmation.
Turdidae: thrushes and allies. Monophyly needs confirmation.
Buphagidae: oxpeckers. Formerly usually included in Sturnidae.
Sturnidae: starlings and possibly Philippine creepers. Placement of latter in Muscicapoidea seems good, but inclusion in Sturnidae requires confirmation; possibly distinct family Rhabdornithidae.
Mimidae: mockingbirds and thrashers
Mostly herbivores, near-global distribution centered on Palearctic and Americas. Includes the nine-primaried oscines (probably a subclade).
Passeridae: true sparrows
Prunellidae: accentors
Motacillidae: wagtails and pipits
Urocynchramidae: Przewalski's finch. Recently split from Fringillidae; tentatively placed here.
Estrildidae: estrildid finches (waxbills, munias, etc.)
Ploceidae: weavers. Certain members of Ploceidae, such as the long-tailed widowbird are well known for their elaborate sexual ornaments.
Viduidae: indigobirds and whydahs
Nine-primaried oscines
Peucedramidae: olive warbler
Fringillidae: true finches. Includes the Hawaiian honeycreepers
Icteridae: grackles, New World blackbirds, and New World orioles
Parulidae: New World warblers
Thraupidae: tanagers and allies
Cardinalidae: cardinals
Emberizidae: buntings and American sparrows
Calcariidae: snow buntings and longspurs
Passeroidea incertae sedis
Coerebidae: bananaquit. Family invalid or not monotypic; reallocation pending.
Rather basal Passerida, most of which seem to constitute several small but distinct superfamilies. Most occur in Asia, Africa and North America.
Possible superfamily "Dicaeoidea" – sunbirds and flowerpeckers
Nectariniidae: sunbirds
Dicaeidae: flowerpeckers
Possible superfamily Bombycilloidea – waxwings and allies
Bombycillidae: waxwings
Dulidae: palmchat. Tentatively placed here.
Ptiliogonatidae: silky flycatchers. Tentatively placed here.
Hypocoliidae: hypocolius. Tentatively placed here.
Possible superfamily Paroidea – titmice and allies
Paridae: tits, chickadees and titmice
Remizidae: penduline tits. Sometimes included in Paridae.
Stenostiridae: stenostirids ("flycatcher-tits"). A newly assembled family; sometimes included in Paridae.
Possible superfamily Sittoidea or Certhioidea – wrens and allies.
Sittidae: nuthatches
Tichodromadidae: wallcreeper. Tentatively placed here.
Certhiidae: treecreepers
Salpornithidae: spotted creeper. Tentatively placed here; might belong into Certhidae.
Troglodytidae: wrens
Polioptilidae: gnatcatchers
Possible monotypic superfamily N.N.
Promeropidae: sugarbirds
Possible monotypic superfamily N.N.
Family N.N.: hyliotas. Recently split from Sylviidae.
Possible superfamily Reguloidea – kinglets. Tentatively placed here.
Regulidae: kinglets
These have been assigned to the Passerida in recent times, often based on DNA-DNA hybridization data. However, they are probably more basal among the songbirds and would belong either to the Corvoidea or the allied basal lineages. Most of them are either African or Wallacean groups.
Chloropseidae: leafbirds
Aegithinidae: ioras
Picathartidae: rockfowl
Melanocharitidae: berrypeckers and longbills
Paramythiidae: tit berrypecker and crested berrypeckers
Platysteiridae: wattle-eyes or puffback flycatchers
