Accipitriformes

Accipitriformes Temporal range: Eocene-present, 47–0 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Clade:	Accipitrimorphae
Order:	Accipitriformes Vieillot, 1816
Families
Sagittariidae Pandionidae Accipitridae
Diversity map of Accipitriformes (258 species). The colour gradient (from light to dark) indicates species richness.[1]

Accipitriformes is an order which includes most of the diurnal birds of prey: hawks, eagles, vultures, and many others, about 225 species in all.

For a long time, the majority view was to include them with the falcons in the Falconiformes. However, a recent DNA study has shown that falcons are not closely related to the Accipitriformes. Instead, they are related to parrots and passerines.^[2]

Since then putting the falcons next to the parrots in taxonomic order has been adopted by most ornithologists. The DNA-based proposal includes the New World vultures in the Accipitriformes,^[2] but the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) classifies the New World vultures as a separate order, the Cathartiformes.^[3]

1. ↑ Nagy, Jenő (2020). "Biologia Futura: rapid diversification and behavioural adaptation of birds in response to Oligocene–Miocene climatic conditions" (PDF). Biologia Futura. 71 (1–2): 109–121. doi:10.1007/s42977-020-00013-9. PMID 34554530. S2CID 219904689.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Hackett S.J. et al 2008. A phylogenomic study of birds reveals their evolutionary history. Science 320 (5884): 1763–1768. [1]
3. ↑ Remsen J.V. et al 2008. A classification of the bird species of South America (section ACCIPITRIDAE (HAWKS) 3, note 1). Version 11. American Ornithologists' Union. [2]