Any bird of the order Passeriformes, sometimes known as perching birds

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Passerine</span>

Passerine

<p>A <b>passerine</b> (<span class="rt-commentedText nowrap"><span class="IPA nopopups noexcerpt"><a href="/en/Help:IPA/English" title="Help:IPA/English" class="wl">/<span style="border-bottom:1px dotted"><span>ˈ</span><span>p</span><span>æ</span><span>s</span><span>ə</span><span>r</span><span>aɪ</span><span>n</span></span>/</a></span></span>) is any <a href="/en/Bird" title="Bird" class="wl">bird</a> of the <a href="/en/Order_(biology)" title="Order (biology)" class="wl">order</a> <b>Passeriformes</b> (<span class="rt-commentedText nowrap"><span class="IPA nopopups noexcerpt"><a href="/en/Help:IPA/English" title="Help:IPA/English" class="wl">/<span style="border-bottom:1px dotted"><span>ˈ</span><span>p</span><span>æ</span><span>s</span><span>ə</span><span>r</span><span>ɪ</span><span>f</span><span>ɔːr</span><span>m</span><span>iː</span><span>z</span></span>/</a></span></span>; from <a href="/en/Latin" title="Latin" class="wl">Latin</a> <span><i lang="la">passer</i></span> 'sparrow' and <span><i lang="la">formis</i></span> '-shaped'), which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as <b>perching birds</b>, passerines generally have an <a href="/en/Dactyly#In_birds" title="Dactyly" class="wl">anisodactyl</a> arrangement of their toes (three pointing forward and one back), which facilitates perching.</p>

<div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none" about="#mwt1">Any bird of the order Passeriformes, sometimes known as perching birds</div>
<p about="#mwt6">

</p><span>
</span><div class='mobile-collapse'><header class="mobile-collapse-header mobile-collapse-btn"><b>Quick facts: Passerine Temporal range  Eocene–Recent, 52.5...</b> <span class='arrow'>▼</span></header> <table class="infobox biota mobile-collapse-element" style="text-align: left; width: 200px; font-size: 100%">
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<th colspan="2" style="text-align: center; background-color: rgb(235,235,210)" class="notheme">Passerine<br><div style="font-size: 85%;">Temporal range: <a href="/en/Eocene" title="Eocene" class="wl">Eocene</a>–Recent, <span class="noprint"><span style="display:inline-block;">52.5–0<span>&nbsp;</span><a href="/en/Megaannum" title="Megaannum" class="mw-redirect wl">Ma</a></span> <div id="Timeline-row" style="margin: 4px auto 0; clear:both; width:220px; padding:0px; height:18px; overflow:visible; white-space:nowrap; border:1px #666; border-style:solid none; position:relative; z-index:0; font-size:97%;">
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; left:0px; width:207.23076923077px; padding-left:5px; text-align:left; background-color:rgb(254,217,106); background-image: linear-gradient(to right, rgba(255,255,255,1), rgba(254,217,106,1) 15%, rgba(254,217,106,1));" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Precambrian" title="Precambrian" class="wl">PreꞒ</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(127,160,86); left:37.636923076923px; width:18.073846153846px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Cambrian" title="Cambrian" class="wl">Ꞓ</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(0,146,112); left:55.710769230769px; width:14.08px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Ordovician" title="Ordovician" class="wl">O</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(179,225,182); left:69.790769230769px; width:8.3261538461539px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Silurian" title="Silurian" class="wl">S</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(203,140,55); left:78.116923076923px; width:20.409230769231px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Devonian" title="Devonian" class="wl">D</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(103,165,153); left:98.526153846154px; width:20.307692307692px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Carboniferous" title="Carboniferous" class="wl">C</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(240,64,40); left:118.83384615385px; width:15.907015384615px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Permian" title="Permian" class="wl">P</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(129,43,146); left:134.74086153846px; width:17.092984615385px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Triassic" title="Triassic" class="wl">T</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(52,178,201); left:151.83384615385px; width:19.089230769231px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Jurassic" title="Jurassic" class="wl">J</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(127,198,78); left:170.92307692308px; width:26.738461538462px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Cretaceous" title="Cretaceous" class="wl">K</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(253,154,82); left:197.66153846154px; width:14.543692307692px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Paleogene" title="Paleogene" class="wl">Pg</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(255,230,25); left:212.20523076923px; width:6.9215384615385px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Neogene" title="Neogene" class="wl">N</a></div>
<div id="end-border" style="position:absolute; height:100%; background-color:#666; width:1px; left:219px" class="notheme"></div><div style="margin:0 auto; line-height:0; clear:both; width:220px; padding:0px; height:8px; overflow:visible; background-color:transparent; position:relative; top:-4px; z-index:100;" class="notheme"><div style="position:absolute; height:8px; left:202.23076923077px; width:17.769230769231px; background-color:#360; opacity:0.42; " class="notheme"></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:8px; left:202.23076923077px; width:17.769230769231px; background-color:#360; opacity:1; " class="notheme"></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:6px; top:1px; left:203.23076923077px; width:15.769230769231px; background-color:#6c3;" class="notheme"></div>
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</div></span></div></th></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center"><span class="mw-default-size"><a href="/en/File:Passeriformes-01v01.jpg" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:Passeriformes-01v01.jpg"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/Passeriformes-01v01.jpg/220px-Passeriformes-01v01.jpg" decoding="async" data-file-width="1596" data-file-height="1588" data-file-type="bitmap" height="219" width="220" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/Passeriformes-01v01.jpg/330px-Passeriformes-01v01.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/Passeriformes-01v01.jpg/440px-Passeriformes-01v01.jpg 2x" alt="Passeriformes-01v01.jpg"></a></span></td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 88%">Clockwise from top right: <a href="/en/Palestine_sunbird" title="Palestine sunbird" class="wl">Palestine sunbird</a> (<i>Cinnyris osea</i>), <a href="/en/Blue_jay" title="Blue jay" class="wl">blue jay</a> (<i>Cyanocitta cristata</i>), <a href="/en/House_sparrow" title="House sparrow" class="wl">house sparrow</a> (<i>Passer domesticus</i>), <a href="/en/Great_tit" title="Great tit" class="wl">great tit</a> (<i>Parus major</i>), <a href="/en/Hooded_crow" title="Hooded crow" class="wl">hooded crow</a> (<i>Corvus cornix</i>), <a href="/en/Southern_masked_weaver" title="Southern masked weaver" class="wl">southern masked weaver</a> (<i>Ploceus velatus</i>)</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center"><span class="mw-default-size mw-default-audio-height"><span><div class='audio-player' title='Male Songbird Indicates Body Size with Low Pitched Advertising Songs pone.0056717.s005.ogv'><audio controls="" preload="none" height="32" width="220" resource="./File:Male-Songbird-Indicates-Body-Size-with-Low-Pitched-Advertising-Songs-pone.0056717.s005.ogv"><source src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Male-Songbird-Indicates-Body-Size-with-Low-Pitched-Advertising-Songs-pone.0056717.s005.oga" type="audio/ogg; codecs=&quot;vorbis&quot;" data-title="Original Ogg file (89 kbps)" data-shorttitle="Ogg source"><source src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/5/57/Male-Songbird-Indicates-Body-Size-with-Low-Pitched-Advertising-Songs-pone.0056717.s005.oga/Male-Songbird-Indicates-Body-Size-with-Low-Pitched-Advertising-Songs-pone.0056717.s005.oga.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" data-title="MP3" data-shorttitle="MP3"></audio></div></span></span></td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 88%">Song of a <a href="/en/Purple-crowned_fairywren" title="Purple-crowned fairywren" class="wl">purple-crowned fairywren</a> (<i>Malurus coronatus</i>)</td></tr>

<tr style="text-align: center; background-color: rgb(235,235,210)" class="notheme"></tr>


<tr>
<th colspan="2" style="min-width:15em; text-align: center; background-color: rgb(235,235,210)" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Taxonomy_(biology)" title="Taxonomy (biology)" class="wl">Scientific classification</a> <span class="plainlinks" style="font-size:smaller; float:right; padding-right:0.4em; margin-left:-3em;"><span class="mw-default-size"><a href="/en/Template:Taxonomy/Passeriformes" title="e" class="image wl"><img loading="lazy"alt="e" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/Red_Pencil_Icon.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="16" data-file-height="16" data-file-type="bitmap" height="16" width="16"></a></span></span></th></tr>
<tr>
<td>Kingdom:</td>
<td><a href="/en/Animal" title="Animal" class="wl">Animalia</a></td></tr>
<tr>
<td>Phylum:</td>
<td><a href="/en/Chordate" title="Chordate" class="wl">Chordata</a></td></tr>
<tr>
<td>Class:</td>
<td><a href="/en/Bird" title="Bird" class="wl">Aves</a></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><i>Clade</i>:</td>
<td><a href="/en/Psittacopasserae" title="Psittacopasserae" class="wl">Psittacopasserae</a></td></tr>
<tr>
<td>Order:</td>
<td><a href="/en/Passerine" title="Passerine" class="wl">Passeriformes</a><br><small><a href="/en/Carl_Linnaeus" title="Carl Linnaeus" class="wl">Linnaeus</a>, <a href="/en/10th_edition_of_Systema_Naturae" title="10th edition of Systema Naturae" class="wl">1758</a></small></td></tr>



































































































<tr style="text-align: center; background-color: rgb(235,235,210)" class="notheme"></tr>















<tr>
<th colspan="2" style="text-align: center; background-color: rgb(235,235,210)" class="notheme">Suborders</th></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" style="text-align: left">
<ul><li><a href="/en/New_Zealand_wren" title="New Zealand wren" class="wl">Acanthisitti</a></li>
<li><b><a href="/en/Eupasseres" title="Eupasseres" class="mw-redirect wl">Eupasseres</a></b>
<ul><li><a href="/en/Tyranni" title="Tyranni" class="wl">Tyranni</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Songbird" title="Songbird" class="wl">Passeri</a></li></ul></li></ul>
<p>and see <a href="#Taxonomic_list_of_Passeriformes_families" target="_blank">text</a></p></td></tr>


<tr>
<th colspan="2" style="text-align: center; background-color: rgb(235,235,210)" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Biodiversity" title="Biodiversity" class="wl">Diversity</a></th></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center"><a href="#Taxonomic_list_of_Passeriformes_families" target="_blank">Roughly 140 families, 6,500 species</a></td></tr>














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<p>With more than 140 families and some 6,500 identified species,<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-ioc_1-0"><a href="#cite_note-ioc-1" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 1;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[1]</span></a></span> Passeriformes is the largest <a href="/en/Clade" title="Clade" class="wl">clade</a> of birds and among the most diverse clades of terrestrial <a href="/en/Vertebrate" title="Vertebrate" class="wl">vertebrates</a>, representing 60% of birds.<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-ericson2003_2-0"><a href="#cite_note-ericson2003-2" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 2;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[2]</span></a></span><span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-selvatti2015_3-0"><a href="#cite_note-selvatti2015-3" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 3;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[3]</span></a></span> Passerines are divided into three clades: <a href="/en/Acanthisitti" title="Acanthisitti" class="mw-redirect wl">Acanthisitti</a> (New Zealand wrens), <a href="/en/Tyranni" title="Tyranni" class="wl">Tyranni</a> (suboscines), and <a href="/en/Passeri" title="Passeri" class="mw-redirect wl">Passeri</a> (oscines or songbirds).<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-4"><a href="#cite_note-4" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 4;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[4]</span></a></span><span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-ericson2002_5-0"><a href="#cite_note-ericson2002-5" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 5;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[5]</span></a></span> The passerines contain several groups of <a href="/en/Brood_parasite" title="Brood parasite" class="wl">brood parasites</a> such as the <a href="/en/Viduidae" title="Viduidae" class="wl">viduas</a>, <a href="/en/Cuckoo-finch" title="Cuckoo-finch" class="wl">cuckoo-finches</a>, and the <a href="/en/Cowbird" title="Cowbird" class="wl">cowbirds</a>. Most passerines are <a href="/en/Omnivore" title="Omnivore" class="wl">omnivorous</a>, while the <a href="/en/Shrike" title="Shrike" class="wl">shrikes</a> are <a href="/en/Carnivore" title="Carnivore" class="wl">carnivorous</a>.</p>

<p>The terms "passerine" and "Passeriformes" are derived from the <a href="/en/Binomial_nomenclature" title="Binomial nomenclature" class="wl">scientific name</a> of the <a href="/en/House_sparrow" title="House sparrow" class="wl">house sparrow</a>, <i>Passer domesticus</i>, and ultimately from the <a href="/en/Latin" title="Latin" class="wl">Latin</a> term <i>passer</i>, which refers to sparrows and similar small birds.</p>



A passerine is any bird of the order Passeriformes , which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds, passerines generally have an anisodactyl arrangement of their toes , which facilitates perching. With more than 140 families and some 6,500 identified species, The passerines contain several groups of brood parasites such as the viduas, cuckoo-finches, and the cowbirds. Most passerines are omnivorous, while the shrikes are carnivorous. 