“Falconiformes” (Diurnal Birds of Prey)

Abstract

Diurnal birds of prey (~313 species) are traditionally grouped into fi ve families, constituting the neoavian Order Falconiformes. No consensus has been reached as to whether the group is natural because of uncertainty con- cerning inclusion of the falcons (Falconidae) and the New World vultures (Cathartidae). However, a clade of “core falconiforms” is supported which includes Sagittariidae (Secretary Bird) and closely related families Pandionidae (Osprey) and Accipitridae (hawks, eagles, kites, and Old World vultures). The Falconiformes timetree suggests that “core falconiforms” diverged in the early Paleogene about 62 million years ago (Ma), but that Cathartidae and Falconidae originated in late Cretaceous 76 Ma