Passerines vs. non-passerines
Explanation of the difference between the two orders
As shown in the second-tier header above, bird species are generally subdivided into "passerines" and "non-passerines". Family groups 1-14 comprise the non-passerines, 15 contains semi-passerines and 16-26 comprise the passerines. What is the difference between the two? (Note: There are equivalent pages about passerines and non-passerines spotted in Europe and passerines and non-passerines spotted in Australia.)
The answer is quite straight-forward, once one knows the Latin name of the common House Sparrow - "Passer domesticus". Passerines are birds that, like the House Sparrow, have three toes forward, one backward, e.g. when sitting on a perch, non-passerines don't. As a rule of thumb, songbirds are passerines, others are not.
But there are some more subtle rules to this. There is also a distinction by the birds' voice boxes (their "syrinyxes"). There are a number of birds that have a passerine foothold, but a more primitive syrinyx than the true songbirds. These are often called "suboscines" (where true passerines are "oscines") or also "semi-passerines". The only example of this category in Oman is the Hoopoe.
Passerines |
Non-passerines |
 |
 |
|
Example passerine: Yellow-vented Bulbul
|
Example non-passerine: Common Sandpiper
|
 |
 |
|
Example passerine foothold: Rufous Bush
Robin - three toes forward, one backward
|
Example non-passerine foothold: Ring-necked Parakeet - two toes forward, two backward
|
