While there is not enough fossil material from " Australornis " to enable a phylogenetic study linking it with extant bird groups, it has been found to share certain derived characteristics with a number of modern bird taxonomic groups, namely Procellariiformes, Gaviiformes and Rallidae.
22.
As usual for Rallidae, their flight is rather clumsy and their navigation skills and ability to maintain course against the wind are poor; on the other hand, their stamina in the air is exception for their small size; several species migrate thousands of kilometers every spring and autumn, while others originated from wind-blown individuals swept to oceanic islands just as far away from any continent.
23.
In this regard, " Porzana " presently in fact stands supreme among the Rallidae, and even among birds in general it is quite remarkable for its radiation of oceanic island lineages . " Gallirallus " rivals it in extent, but unlike the cosmopolitan " Porzana " crakes these rails simply originate in the region next to Oceania and have otherwise not much spread beyond . " Porzana " species, by contrast, are attested from islands in almost every ocean.
24.
Prominent birds spotted in Meghalaya include those from the families of Phasianidae, Anatidae, Podicipedidae, Ciconiidae, Threskiornithidae, Ardeidae, Pelecanidae, Phalacrocoracidae, Anhingidae, Falconidae, Accipitridae, Otididae, Rallidae, Heliornithidae, Gruidae, Turnicidae, Burhinidae, Charadriidae, Glareolidae, Scolopacidae, Jacanidae, Columbidae, Psittacidae, Cuculidae, Strigidae, Caprimulgidae, Apodidae, Alcedinidae, Bucerotidae, Ramphastidae, Picidae, Campephagidae, Dicruridae, Corvidae, Hirundinidae, Cisticolidae, Pycnonotidae, Sylviidae, Timaliidae, Sittidae, Sturnidae, Turdidae, Nectariniidae and Muscicapidae.
25.
Family of two of Numididae; three Phasianidae including one extirpated species of crested francolin ( " Francolinus sephaena " ); four of Anatidae; one Podicipedidae; one Phoenicopteridae; two of Ciconiidae; two of Threskiornithidae; 13 of Ardeidae; one Sulidae; one Phalacrocoracidae; one Falconidae; eight Accipitridae; five Rallidae; one Turnicidae; one Burhinidae; one Dromadidae; four Charadriidae; one Rostratulidae; one Jacanidae; six Scolopacidae; five Laridae; ten Columbidae includes two introduced species of laughing dove ( " Spilopelia senegalensis " ) and Namaqua dove ( " Oena capensis " ), and one Pemba green pigeon ( " Treron pembaensis " ), an endemic and vulnerable species; three of family Psittacidae includes two introduced species of rose-ringed parakeet ( " Psittacula krameri " ) and grey-headed lovebird ( " Agapornis canus " ); one Musophagidae with a near-threatened species of Fischer's turaco ( " Tauraco fischeri " ); three of Cuculidae family; one of Tytonidae; three of Strigidae; one of Tytonidae; three of Strigidae including one vulnerable species of Pemba scops owl ( " Otus pembaensis " ); one Caprimulgidae; five Apodidae; one Coliidae of the extirpated species of speckled mousebird ( " Colius striatus " ); one Trogonidae; two Coraciidae; six of Alcedinidae; one of Meropidae; two of Phoeniculidae; two of Picidae; three of Malaconotidae; one of Campephagidae; one of Oriolidae; one of Dicruridae; two of Monarchidae; two of family Corvidae including one introduced species of house crow ( " Corvus splendens " ); four of Hirundinidae; three of Cisticolidae; three of Pycnonotidae; one of genera " incertae sedis "; two of Sylviidae; one of Timaliidae; one of Zosteropidae, Pemba white-eye ( Zosterops vaughani ); three of Sturnidae; one of Turdidae; five of Muscicapidae; seven of Nectariniidae; two of Passeridae; seven of Ploceidae; ten of Estrildidae including one introduced species of blue-breasted cordon-bleu ( " Uraeginthus angolensis " ) and vulnerable and introduced species of Java sparrow ( " Lonchura oryzivora " ); two Viduidae; one Motacillidae; and one Fringillidae.
