#peregrine falcon kin

[feathers-fur]

Reminder to all my feathered friends, you are still a valid bird therian if you’re afraid of heights! The flesh you are imprisoned in wasn’t made to fly and your subconscious knows that, your fear protects you until you can fly again

[theatrekidenergy]

Theriotype update: So like not 100% sure of anything y’all but here’s just some possible theriotypes I’m questioning rn:

- Saarloos wolfdog / Czechoslovakian wolfdog / wolfdog of some kind or just a dog looking like a wolf — some kind of canine is what I’m getting at

- Peregrine falcon

- Werewolf (otherkin but still, it’d be tied into the canine theriotype in some way maybe I think????)

(if you aren’t aware, hi! I’m Adam! I’ve known Im a therian since around June 2022 and spent some time away from the community for a few months because life was just a lot and now that im coming back I’m reevaluating and questioning theriotypes and such so come along for the journey or just stop by!!! <3)

[feathers-fur]

So me for real

Was in bed and trying to sleep when the realisation hit me — I’ve had seemingly miscellaneous urge to learn to sleep upright for ages. I think my alterhumanity might’ve had something to do with this? (Considering birds don’t really sleep laying down.)

[corvidstar]

{ABOUT ME}

[Remade post]

Hi! My name is Nat, though I also go by Victor (preferred) and Faust and I use he/it/they pronouns. I´m a 20-year-old Spanish alterhuman and I´m studying education in university.

I´m a therian, otherkin and fictionkin, although I tend to use alterhuman or therian generally on other social media. I´ve been aware for almost all my life that I was non-human, but I discovered the term when I was around 12/13 years old, now I´m here after quite a troublesome experience discovering my kins.

Talking about kins, here´s a list of my actual kins, since they´ve changed from my first introduction post.

THERIOTYPES

Confirmed:

- Corvid theriotype, mostly ravens, crows and magpies.

- Barn Owl, tyto alba.

Questioning:

- Cheetah.

- Peregrine falcon.

OTHERKIN KINS

Confirmed:

Questioning:

- Lightfury/Nightfury dragon.

- Ymbrine.

-Merfolk. /Might be a Kith!/

FICTIONKIN KINS

Confirmed:

- Adora (She-Ra and the princesses of power)

- Reki Kyan (SK8)

COPINGLINKS/LINK-FOR-FUN

- Risa (Pokemon, the power of us) /Copinglink due to trauma/

- Lucy Gray (The hunger games) /Copinglink due to trauma/

- Howl (Howl´s moving castle) /Copinglink due to trauma + funlink/

Questioning:

- Luna (OCkin)

- The Narrator (Stanley Parable)

- N (Pokemon) /possibly a copinglink/

- The 10th doctor (Doctor Who) /discarding since it may be a hyperfixation and not a kin/link /

My research is not yet finished, and I don´t think it will ever be, so I keep a journal to write about my experiences, sometimes I post what I write on Instagram (same username) and here!

I love reading, art, music and going out, although I sadly live in a city I enjoy nature and I wish it was closer to me. I love musical theatre, as of right now I love “Les Miserables”, my favorite books are “The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” and “Frankenstein”.

Here you will find my other socials and some other stuff!

MY CARRD✨💕

[feathers-fur]

This would be such a nice day to fly, but alas, I am currently cursed to walk the Earth

[feathers-fur]

Oh to be able to preen my feathers again

i shouldn't be inside stressing about matters such as exams and money I should be outside in the rain splashing in puddles to clean my feathers and looking for bugs to eat with my crow friends

[sunnytherian]

•°•°Presentation (yes, I should have made it before)

•you can call me Sunny or Dylan

•my theriotype(s) : peregrine falcon (main), siberian husky, cat, african lion and striped dolphin

•My kintype(s) : Phoenix bird, dragon (questioning)

•i'm spanish, so the English isn't my native language and I speak it a little bad QwQ

•i'm trans ftm and pansexual

•my pronouns are he/him

•neurodivergent

•i'm a minor, so DNI if your blog is +18 or if you're a p3d0ph1l3, z00, or anti-kin

• current hyperfixations: spiderman, brawl stars, dragons, warrior cats, mental health videos, scout camps/ anything related to scouting (I'm a scout btw), hazbin hotel and dogday from poppy playtime

That's all by now, bye!!!

🐾🪶❄️🍁🐱🌿🐺🐶🪽🦅

[lesboylycan]

s. so. there's three options right now.

(1) we are owlhearted and/or peregrine falcon hearted (2) we are owlkin and/or peregrine falcon kin (3) we are some combination of the above two (4) this is just a particularly strong flicker being somewhat informed by our childhood love of Guardians of Ga'hoole

[feathers-fur]

@pizzarocket Ok so don’t do that it's sucks for preening in the long run, there’s other methods to deal with not having feathers to pluck I promise

✨For Example✨

☆ Pop its (specifically ones that snap well)

☆ Random scraps of fabric you can pull apart/unravel

☆ Tape! Rolling it and sticking it to your fingers then pulling it off gives that nice plucking sensation

☆ Paint your nails (without a top coat) and pick off the polish

And remember that still trying to pluck feathers when there aren't any to pluck is a sign of stress preening, to avoid running into this you should

☆ Go outside, take a walk or something, us feathered friends aren't meant to be kept inside

☆ Add some variety to your diet for more nutrition and entertainment, I personally like a nice trail mix and jerky

I bite and rip off my fingernails when stressed because I have no feathers to pluck.

[theramseyloft]

You go on about how intelligent/emotional pigeons are, but you treat them like objects and that bothers me. You separate bonded pairs of these intelligent, loving animals so frequently as if they don't have any feelings. And then you wonder why these birds afterward do not just take a new mate instantly. You are continually traumatizing these animals and causing them to shut down because they probably begin to realize any new bond they make will only be severed.

I do that because they are.

There is a huge difference between treating a living being like an object and acknowledging that the feelings of a non-human will not often perfectly align with those of a human.

Different species are different.

They have different physical, emotional, and social needs, even if there are a lot of close parallels.

And there are certainly a lot of parallels between humans and pigeons;

They are self aware cooperative social learners.

They form societies.

Those societies have a culture that varies regionally and they have a base line of values...

But their society, culture, and values are different from a human’s because pigeons are not human.

Nothing specializes in preying on humans. We generalize in preying on everything, as a species, as a whole.

We change our environment to suit our needs as much as we are able, and we are more able with every generation.

While things, objectively, can happen to any human at any time, out of nowhere..

On the whole, we generally don’t expect them to.

As such, our monogamous relationships are, ideally, “Until death do us part” meaning “Until we both die of old age, preferably around the same time.”

To the extent that closely bonded humans are emotionally devastated by the loss of that life partner.

To many of us, a life partner is also counted as lost if they engage in sexual infidelity, and if this happens, we are just as devastated (if not even more devastated) as we could have been if that partner had died.

Pigeons are a prey species that evolved in a cheetah-and-thompson’s-gazelle-style arms race with the Peregrine Falcon.

Their monogamous relationships version of “Until Death do us part” can be better translated; “Until one or the other of us gets eaten on a foraging trip.”

And sexual fidelity does not enter into the equation for a pigeon unless their partner is treading or being tread by some one else at the exact moment that bird wants to tread or be tread by their partner.

A cock who wants sex will seek out his wife first, but if she is not interested, he will go asking all the hens away from their nest until one agrees and crouches for him.

If his mate changes her mind and wants him to tread her, she will seek him out and crouch to present herself.

He will tread his wife, and after they do the cute little “I just had sex” dance that’s reserved for mated pairs (side flings get neither this nor courtship. Just sex and separate.) she goes off to do what ever she wanted to do.

If the cock is satisfied, he goes with his wife.

If he still needs or wants more sex, he can tread as many hens as he wants. His wife will not care, because she has had her turn.

If a hen wants sex, she will seek out her husband, generally, but if he’s busy or away, she’ll present for who ever she likes.

Her husband does not care who filled the egg. He only cares that she lays it in his nest and he gets to help set and raise it.

Pigeons divorce partners they consider to be inadequate. Cocks who fail to fill eggs, hens who refuse to set eggs, partners of either sex that don’t spend enough time reaffirming their bond with their spouses...

Unrequited relationships and love triangles are also relationships that pigeons find themselves in.

A pair is considered to have divorced if one partner or the other moves in and spends their nights in the nest of another partner, not for mating with some one else.

Some times, divorces are mutual, and both birds move on to other mates.

Some times, they are not. And the partner left will pine and keep making overtures to reconcile with the partner that left them.

But when a mate just disappears and doesn’t come back, they are assumed by the remaining partner to have been eaten.

If they were closely bonded, the remaining partner may wait a week or so at most, in case they were lost, in hopes the missing bird will make their way back and reunite.

If, after a week, the remaining bird is keeping to them self and not socializing, something is physically wrong, and anthropomorphizing it as “depressed” can get the bird killed.

The veterinary term ‘depression’ describes an animal that is physically ill, be that from a pathogen attacking it to ingesting or absorbing a toxin or simple vitamin or mineral deficiency.

For example;

A week after I became aware that breeding pigeons could become salt deficient and gave the flock a salt and trace mineral brick, birds that had shown no interest in bonding or courting for months are suddenly flirting with everything that moves.

They were not too traumatized to before.

They had a mineral deficiency.

They did not court because they did not feel good.

With the addition of their supplement brick, lo and behold, they all feel better and are courting again.

I have an entire flock to take care of, and I am responsible for the wellbeing of every individual I bring into the world.

To avoid overcrowding, I have a cap of 10 breeding pair.

Because that is the number of adults and their offspring under 6 months old that my loft can comfortably house.

When ever a new breeding bird leaves quarantine or a keeper reaches 6 months, a bird of the same sex has to be retired and made available to avoid overcrowding and the stress and disease that come with it.

Who retires when is not arbitrary.

There are very strict criteria.

1. Physical health.

Regardless of whether or not I have a replacement ready, a bird who may be hurt by the physical process of reproduction or the strain of rearing young, or who may pass on genes that may be harmful to potential offspring is retired on the spot and adopted out with a strict nonbreeding agreement.

Gus is a sweet boy,

But this happens to him every molt, and we have since found out that it runs in both sides of his family, proving it to be genetic and cumulative.

As cute as he and Leela were together, I cannot let him breed.

Because I would have to be a monster to be willing to knowingly pass that painful condition on to another generation.

He has a forever family familiar with his condition to whom he is going on Monday.

2. Undesirable structure

I do not mean anything as stupid as “This animal isn’t pretty enough.”

Cody is not only gorgeous, but an excellent father who has served our program very well.

But his muffs are big enough to make walking uncomfortable, so while I like the rest of his traits, that’s one I want to breed away from.

Now that I have a brother and Sister of his with short muffs that do not cause them discomfort, 

Farthing 

and suki

will continue contributions to the project

and Cody is available.

3. Antisocial behavior that disrupts or disturbs their flock mates.

Indica

And Pookie 

Are the poster children for flock disruption.

They are a gay and bi mated pair of cocks, who are literally turned on by prying other treading pairs off of each other.

If they see another pair treading, Indica will grab the hen by the scruff, Pookie will grab the cock by his, and they will pull in opposite directions, prying the treading pair apart, and marching them in opposite directions towards the wall.

Indica and Pookie will then throw the bird they have at the wall and then run back to meet each other in the center of the floor, smooch-feed each other back and forth, and take turns treading each other.

On top of this, they defend 15 of the 36 total nest boxes in my loft, refusing to pick a specific one or let any other pair settle in a box to lay.

You may or may not have noticed that when I advertised the available birds on Thursday, I made a point of saying that I would prefer these two be adopted together because they are bonded and would be happier that way.

A prospective new family is coming to meet them on Monday.

But they are SUCH a violent disruption to their flock mates that if only one had a home lined up, it would be unkind to the rest of the flock to keep them both on the insistence that they go together.

4. Shitty parenting history

Parents who tend to ignore eggs or peeps, leaving all the work of setting or feeding to their partner.

This is a personality trait, and such a parent puts dangerous strain on their partner and stress on their peeps. 

Their partner will usually divorce them for that, so adopting the bad parent out isn’t “Splitting up a bonded pair”.

Their former spouse is usually looking for or has found some one else with out any interference on my part.

5. Too many offspring/grandchildren

This is to avoid any more inbreeding than necessary.

Betty is one of the best studs here.

He is an outstanding father who sits tight on his eggs, pumps his peeps full, and educates them carefully though weaning.

MANY are his children and grand children, and he has a strong preference for birds with faces like his.

He has already bred with his niece to produce Sherry, and I would like to avoid having him breed to any more of his kin.

Once his peep with Liang is weaned, he will be adopted.

Liang is very skittish, and she liked him right off the bat, so I delayed his retirement to give her more time to feel secure with the flock.

But with her egg hatching, she is allowing herself to be casually flirt with more.

Wukong still likes her. So do Cherub and Ginger, so she’ll have her pick when Betty goes to his new home.

6. Temperament

The Therapy Bird Project is working towards developing a performance breed with a temperament conducive to Therapy work.

All else being equal; The birds are all physically sound with no known detrimental genes, no embellishments too exaggerated, not overly aggressive to flock mates, great parents... Then the bird least interested in human company gets retired.

The ground work of physical and mental base soundness has to be laid first and foremost for that excellent temperament I’m aiming for to shine in their handler’s lives for as long as possible.

You probably have not noticed that when bonded pairs retire at the same time, I make a thing of them being bonded in hopes that they will be adopted together.

Dodger and Alex retired close enough to each other that both are still here, and I would prefer they be adopted together.

But if one of them gets a perfect home lined up where I think that individual will be happy, I will not refuse them that good home for the sake of not splitting up a pair.

You care about the idea of that a LOT more than the pigeons themselves do.

[salamencerobot]

The Sleepy Gods( an sbi poem)

A peregrine falcon, an older god, of the winds and the wings that soar. He’s seen worlds grow and fall, mistakes repeated from long before He’s built his own worlds, raising castles to the sky He’s raised his own family, comforting the gods that cry

The eldest is a boar, a god of the fight, Leading humans to battle through the dark of the night He fights for freedom, for his homes For the fields and forest he roams. Bards tell stories of the battles he’s led But none sing of the destruction his twin sows instead

His twin is a demon, the god of blood on hooved feet, The color of flesh flushed red from the heat The scream of rockets and his scream of a war cry Blood turns the stones red as he leaves them to die "Blood for the blood god!" Rages through his head He protects only his kin, left the rest for dead

The littlest one, a sable, The god of tricksters and burrowers and theft War is prideful and revolution well known, And the wind is an old god, one of the only left But theft is everywhere, From the sky to the sea From the ground we walk on, Even in a humble bee. For the birds steal from dogs And the vines steal from trees And the ferrets steal from people And the badgers steal from bees For even the littlest can win All they need is some luck So remember, if you can dig You will never be stuck

[feathers-fur]

Blankets make such a good nest but it’d be so much better if I could add feathers :/

being all cozy in bed means my brain feeling like i should have feathers. there's just something about being snug as a bug in a rug where my brain goes "there should be feathers interacting with these blankets right now but there arent"

[vilegroove]

Lyrics from 'Dark Tales From The Insulation Booth' (03/31/21)

For all those hip-hop purists and anyone wanting to get down with that Hank Solo lingo.

STEM CELL RESEARCH

It goes counterintelligence, Berenstein psy-op Schwarzschild radius, holographic mind job I’m a ticking time bomb stuck inside this nightmare It’s warfare for the welfare of the poor From tenement to parliament the charlatans of artifice In shadows stocking armaments or ornaments with arguments Coordinates are carpeted while Harlequins are marketed Unfortunate subordinates are targeted by Artemis I sit solo, spit a mental freestyle No polo, UH I spent it on these re-fries Meanwhile I filleth up the syllabus In real time and if I spill enough to pick it up I just might reach minds Smash atoms, push phantoms into chasms Is it a random happenstance Or a predetermined anthem? Step inside a web this some spider vs fly shit Step into a world this some Illuminati eye shit What would you do if you had no shoes? And you had no rules and you had no school? What would you choose? If the choice ain’t yours Ain’t your chore, Ain’t your war, Ain’t your battle, Ain’t your fight You’re just standing in line man waiting to die They pulling strings with grizzled fingers While the stem cell research helps them linger Tempers up, fear the farming In a cave under threat of a terror bombing Nails clawing, the cause of flesh wounds Supply and demand panoramic cesspools Inhale jet fuel on the way to school man Chemtrails forming the new pollutant Confusing the students and keeping them stupid Obtuse attitudes, man, these dudes be ruthless On point to the point I barricade the joint Inhale, exhale man this tasters choice Blue bloods eschew mud, chew cud like us cattle We battered and bruised up but we still fucking battle Never let em get to you - Ask me bout the subterfuge War and peace entwining in an ever whirling centrifuge Veteran rookie: Dichotomy so sue me Used to Hank Solo now I roar like Wookie

SHARK TANK (feat. CHIEFFY)

[VERSE 1 - HANK]

Christ I get wicked when I'm alone and I'm lit Smoke clones and then spit till I foam at the lips My ego cast a shadow that could cause an eclipse And I can't get through doors cause my head won't fit I'm starvin' like Marvin, lookin' for a target I'm barkin' dark jargon like I'm stalkin' park joggers My though pattern is laced with dark matter Fight alien races is space an spark blaster I spit lines for like minds who smoke kind I write rhymes with weight that warp space time Ante-up I'm about to erupt Krakatoa flow all over Like I'm bustin' a nut, spray paint Jackson Pollock All over her gut - Dirty Harry on the mic But you ain't sweeping me up I'm a sad sap but I can rhyme not half bad Cause I been mixing words since I was sperm Inside my dads sack Yakkity-Yak Don't talk back, as a matter of fact Rewind the track back so you can practice your rap I'm high gloss your skills are not polished You're whack and lack knowledge Go back to clown college - Fuck taxes, pay homage I'm glad you acknowledged Hank is just flawless I'm bank your just wallet

[MAIN HOOK × 2]

I'm cold like deep space I master this pace Knock you flat face In fact my sharp skates Cut circles round you lark fakes Question what marks make Shave you to carp flakes For use in my shark tank

[BRIDGE - CHIEFFY]

Let’s jump in it, I’m with it I’m finna kill it and stay I've been the realest Since dealers was Shitting diapers away Blank face I don’t keep it at bay

[VERSE 2 - CHIEFFY]

No whale watching, I’m hopping But no landing, I’m offing to each planet I’m locked in, nigga said I’m a Martian You niggas fandom, I’m popping But got plans to just pop him I’m a man no ones stopping Fire plans imma watch them gain Burn away just like Mary Jane I put away, she too nice for days, make way Cause I’m burning all the mainframes No place to lay I ain’t keeping all you plain janes Just some grams and Violas In my denim jeans, we keep it real Chef Chief serving up them fiends. Mother Fucker.

[MAIN HOOK × 2]

Hank: Alright, let's go home

Jay: One more take

LET ME TELL YOU (feat. AQUAKULTRE)

[VERSE 1 - HANK SOLO]

Calling all cars, calling all cars check No red on neck no death stars left Cloud nine? Found my rye moldy Back bent over like a lawn chair folding Cats maw scolding, guts on fire Eyes why at the sky as the pyre grows higher Seems unwind from his old grey coat, Whether freestyle rhyme or line from a note Spine unaligned all in a twist, Time on a line s'all in the wrist Hood up, man-boobs, thyroid leaking, Ballpoint sketch like a fanboy geeking I'm open in the middle I'm closed at both ends I'm a villain to my family I'm a hero to my friends Grasp at the last straw sinner to his kin, Juxtapose foes who just oppose this.

[HOOK - ARETHA FRANKLIN]

People let me tell you, I work hard every day I get up out of bed, and put on my clothes 'Cuz I got bills to pay

[VERSE 2 - AQUAKULTRE]

(Don't fall a-haha) When we drive, we feeling all the trees get the breezin The Cuts is Vile, I like the way he mistreat em I can give 'em bars a plenty that’s critical but I'd rather heal with words, that’s medicinal It's time to give a good vibration Break bread and conversate over good libations The frustration no hesitation, will arise Higher then a peregrine falcon in the sky Peace to the nieces and nephews I raise And the son I don't got, father figure I stay You know we got it, I figured I be The Martyr For working class guppies Just tryna make it to supper And we keep it very clever, Uh HUH, yo Whatever the case I waste no time Serving em with a taste But foist let me put on on my woirk boots and grab a dairy milk before I make it to curfew We Breezing

Juxtapose foes who just oppose this.

DOWNLOAD FOR FREE AT VILEGROOVE.BANDCAMP.COM

[mogai-zone]

Hello! I’m goskin (My kin is with the Northern Goshawk: Accipiter Gentilis) and falconkin (My kin with the Peregrine Falcon: Falco Peregrinus). I use the pronouns she/her/hers/herself, go/gos/os/oshawk/gosself or fa/fal/alc/alcon/falconself. Could you create both flags for me and also do a pronoun validation for me? My name is Izzy by the way. Thank you so much for doing this; you don’t even know how much this means to me. I’m so glad that you create a safe space for neopronouns and kin.

Wow this is a long one! I’m glad you like the account and I’m so happy that it makes you feel safe!

Here are both flags - Sonic

Pronoun validation:

This is Izzy! Her pronouns are she/her/herself and she is goskin and falconkin. The ask of hers that I received was very kind. She is valid and I support her! I hope everyone else supports her too because she deserves it! I’m glad she’s happy with her identity and I hope she’s proud of herself!

This is Izzy! Os pronouns are go/gos/os/oshawk/gosself and go is goskin and falconkin. The ask of oshawk that I received was very kind. Go is valid and I support gos! I hope everyone else supports os too because go deserves it! I’m glad go’s happy with gos identity and I hope go’s proud of gosself!

This is Izzy! Alc pronouns are fa/fal/all/alcon/falconself and fa is goskin and falconkin. The ask of alcon that I received was very kind. Fa is valid and I support fal! I hope everyone else supports fal too because fa deserves it! I’m glad fa’s happy with fal identity and I hope fa’s proud of falconself!

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Here we go: We’re starting out with the fun ones. Time to vote in the NEORNITHEAN FAMILY you want, and then a specific bird will be picked from that family in the last week of the prelims, solely so that write-ins won’t be necessary. Please READ the below information so that you make an informed voting choice! You have through January 7th!

HIGHLIGHTS & INELIGIBLES 

Palaeognaths

The first major division of modern birds, with the rest being neognaths. All lineages except for the tinamous and lithornithids are flightless. Highlighted families include Lithornithidae (early flighted palaeognaths with long slender bills), Aepyornithidae (elephant birds), Rheidae (rheas), and Dinornithidae (giant moa).  List of ineligible candidates: Struthio (ostriches, family Struthionidae), Casuarius (cassowaries, family Casuariidae), Apteryx (kiwi, family Apterygidae)

Galloanserans

The earliest-diverging  group of neognaths. Modern galloanserans include a wide variety of land and waterfowl. Highlighted families include Pelagornithidae (birds that evolved fake teeth coming out of their beaks), Dromornithidae (large, flightless herbivorous birds that resemble emus or moa), Anatidae (waterfowl such as ducks, geese, and swans), Phasianidae (landfowl such as pheasants, partridges, and turkeys), and Presbyornithidae (duck relatives that mimicked flamingos & lived in the latest Cretaceous).  List of ineligible candidates: Gallus (chicken & junglefowl, family Phasianidae), Pavo (Indian peafowl & green peafowl, family Phasianidae), Gastornis

Strisorians

A group of mostly insect-eating neognaths, including some of the most specialized vertebrate fliers. Highlighted families include Apodidae (swifts, fast flying insectivores that spend much of their lives in the air), Caprimulgidae (nightjars, nocturnal or crepuscular insectivores), Steatornithidae (oilbirds, nocturnal frugivores capable of echolocation), and Trochilidae (hummingbirds, the smallest living birds, capable of hovering flight).  List of ineligible candidates: Nyctibius (potoos, family Nyctibiidae), Mellisuga (bee & vervain hummingbirds, family Trochilidae), Podargus (tawny frogmouth & other members of Podargus, family Podargidae) 

Columbavians

A variety of early-diverging neognaths that are found to form a clade by some studies. Include both tree-dwelling and ground-dwelling species. Highlighted families include Columbidae (pigeons, stout-bodied mainly herbivorous birds that are often kept as pets), Musophagidae (turacos, arboreal frugivores with unique pigments in their feathers), Cuculidae (cuckoos, mainly insectivorous arboreal and terrestrial birds), and Otididae (bustards, terrestrial birds including some of the heaviest modern flying birds).  List of ineligible candidates: Columba (rock dove/pigeon & other members of Columba, family Columbidae), Raphus (dodo, family Columbidae) 

Gruiforms 

A group of mostly ground-dwelling neognaths often associated with water, including the cranes, rails, and their close relatives. Highlighted families include Gruidae (cranes, long-legged omnivorous birds), Rallidae (rails, mostly secretive semi-aquatic birds), Aptornithidae (adzebills, large flightless, possibly predatory, extinct birds from New Zealand), and Heliornithidae (finfoots, grebe-like aquatic birds from the tropics).  List of ineligible candidates: Grus (whooping crane & other members of Grus, family Gruidae) 

Mirandornitheans & Charadriiforms 

Two groups of neognaths that may or may not be closely related, both mainly foraging in or near water. Mirandornitheans include grebes and flamingos, whereas the very diverse Charadriiforms include gulls, sandpipers, auks, and many more. Highlighted families include Phoenicopteridae (flamingos, long-legged filter feeders), Podicipedidae (grebes, diving birds with lobed rather than webbed feet), Scolopacidae (sandpipers, a diverse group that mainly forages on shore), Laridae (gulls, terns, and skimmers, agile fliers that forage near the water surface), and Alcidae (auks, wing-propelled diving birds).  List of ineligible candidates: Pinguinus (great auk, family Alcidae) 

Ardeans

A great diversity of neognaths that mostly hunt in aquatic environments, including some of the most specialized marine dinosaurs. Highlighted families include Spheniscidae (penguins, a semi-aquatic group of flightless birds living mostly in the Southern Hemisphere), Phaethontidae (tropicbirds, a group of seabirds with extremely long tail feathers and very small feet), Gaviidae (loons, diving birds that resemble ducks & geese but are not closely related and are extremely clumsy on land), Pelecanidae (pelicans, birds with large beaks that allow for the consumption of huge quantities of seafood), and Sulidae (boobies and gannets, seabirds that plunge-dive for prey).  List of ineligible candidates: Balaeniceps (shoebill, family Balaenicipitidae), Eudyptula (little blue penguin & Australian little penguin, family Spheniscidae) 

Accipitrimorphs & Opisthocomiforms 

Accipitrimorphs include the majority of diurnal birds of prey. Opisthocomiforms include the hoatzin, an unusual herbivorous South American bird. The two groups are probably not close kin, but a recent study found opisthocomiforms closely related to telluravians, a diverse group of mostly arboreal birds including accipitrimorphs and the remaining bird groups in this survey. Highlighted families include Cathartidae (large scavenging birds mostly from the New World), Accipitridae (hawks, eagles, and Old World vultures), Teratornithidae (giant extinct birds of prey, among the largest flying birds ever to have existed), and Opisthocomidae (the unusual hoatzin and its close fossil relatives).  List of ineligible candidates: Gypaetus (bearded vulture, family Accipitridae), Sagittarius (secretary bird, family Sagittariidae), Opisthocomus (hoatzin, family Opisthocomidae), Harpia (harpy eagle, family Accipitridae) 

Owls

Owls, a group of mostly nocturnal birds of prey. You’ve probably heard of them. Highlighted families include Tytonidae (barn owls and their close relatives), Strigidae (all other modern owls), and a variety of fossil owl groups.  List of ineligible candidates: Tyto (true barn owls, grass owls, & masked owls, family Tytonidae), Athene (burrowing owl & other members of Athene, family Strigidae)

Non-Piciform Coraciimorphs 

Coraciimorphs are a group of mostly tree-dwelling telluravians. Many nest in tree cavities or burrows, and they encompass a diversity of ecologies including predators, fruit-eaters, and omnivores.  Highlighted families include Coliidae (mousebirds, frugivores that climb and hop acrobatically through the trees), Alcedinidae (kingfishers, predatory birds that catch prey by diving from a perch), Bucerotidae (hornbills, omnivorous birds often with bony crests on their large bills), and Trogonidae (trogons, fruit-eating birds with backwards-pointing first and second toes). List of ineligible candidates: Dacelo (kookaburras, family Alcedinidae), Pharomachrus (true quetzals, family Trogonidae), Upupa (hoopoes) 

Piciforms 

A particularly diverse group of coraciimorphs including woodpeckers and barbets. Highlighted families include Gracilitarsidae (small, long-legged extinct piciforms that may have been agile fliers), Galbulidae (jacamars, long-billed insectivores with shiny plumage), Picidae (woodpeckers, tree-climbing birds that drill holes in trees while foraging and nesting), and Ramphastidae (toucans, particularly large-billed barbets from the Neotropics).  List of ineligible candidates: None 

Cariamiforms & Falcons

Two groups of mostly predatory telluravians. Cariamiforms are ground birds whereas falcons are mainly fast aerial hunters. Highlighted families include Ameghinornithidae (extinct herbivorous ground birds that may not actually be cariamiforms - but what they actually are is poorly studied), Phorusrhacidae (terror birds, often large-bodied extinct flightless predatory birds), Cariamidae (seriemas, long-legged predatory birds with retractable second toes), and Falconidae (falcons, mostly fast-flying predators as mentioned previously).  List of ineligible candidates: Falco peregrinus (peregrine falcon, family Falconidae), Titanis, Phorusrhacos (both family Phorusrhacidae) 

Parrots

A group of intelligent, large-beaked birds that are often distinguished by their colorful feathers and complicated vocalizations. Often times are kept as pets, though none are domesticated. Highlighted families include Cacatuidae (cockatoos, cockatiels & relatives, large parrots with crests and extreme loudness), Psittaculidae (parrots such as lovebirds, lorikeets, and Asian parrots - so a very diverse group), Psittacidae (macaws, parakeets, amazon parrots, and caiques), and Messelasturidae (extinct relatives of parrots that were birds of prey)  List of ineligible candidates: Strigops (kakapo, family Strigopidae), Psittacus (African grey parrot & Timneh parrot, family Psittacidae) 

Non-Corvidan Non-Passeridan Passerines 

Passerines (or perching birds) are mostly small-bodied insect- and seed-eating birds, as well as the majority of modern bird species. The following are passerines and passerine-like birds that do not belong to two of the more specific passerine groups Corvida and Passerida. Highlighted families include Zygodactylidae (extinct passerine relatives with backward-pointing first and fourth toes like parrots), Pipridae (manakins, a group of Neotropical passerines in which the males often perform elaborate courtship dances), Pittidae (pittas, often colorful birds that live on the forest floor), Tyrannidae (tyrant flycatchers, insect-eating passerines that often aggressively mob predatory birds), and Menuridae (lyrebirds, terrestrial birds known for vocal mimicry, males have elaborate tail plumage). List of ineligible candidates: None 

Corvidans 

One of the most diverse passerine clades, including the groups closely related to crows. Highlighted families include Oriolidae (orioles, arboreal Old World omnivores including a few species with poisonous feathers), Paradisaeidae (birds of paradise, Australasian passerines in which the males often have extravagant plumage and spectacular courtship rituals), Vangidae (vangas, a group of Madagascan passerines with very diverse ecologies), Laniidae (shrikes, predatory passerines that impale prey on pointed objects), and Corvidae (crows, jays, and magpies, highly intelligent omnivores).  List of ineligible candidates: Corvus (crows, ravens, and rooks), Cyanocitta (blue jay & Steller’s jay) (both family Corvidae)

Passeridans

Another of the most diverse passerine clades, including the groups closely related to sparrows. Highlighted families include Picathartidae (rockfowl, bald-headed African passerines that nest under rocky overhangs), Paridae (tits, small acrobatic omnivores that mainly forage in trees), Sittidae (nuthatches, small passerines that forage by descending tree trunks headfirst), Nectariniidae (sunbirds, mostly nectar-eating Old World passerines), and Thraupidae (tanagers, a diverse group of often brightly-colored Neotropical passerines, including the famous Darwin’s finches).  List of ineligible candidates: Parus (great, Japanese, cinereous, & green-backed tits, family Paridae)

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Taking looking down on others to the next level ngl