Galliformes
Sign in to saveGalliformes , also known as gallinaceous birds or landfowl, is an order of heavy-bodied terrestrial birds that contains about 290 species. The order is divided into five families: Phasianidae (chicken and junglefowls, Old World quails, partridges, pheasants, turkeys, peafowl and grouse), Odontophoridae (New World quails), Numididae (guinea fowl), Cracidae (including chachalacas and curassows), and Megapodiidae (incubator birds like malleefowl and brushturkeys). Galliformes and the semi-aquatic order Anseriformes (waterfowl) are collectively called fowl.
AI overview
Galliformes, also known as gallinaceous birds or landfowl, is an order of about 290 heavy-bodied terrestrial bird species that includes chickens, pheasants, turkeys, quails, and guinea fowl across five different families. These birds matter because they represent a major group of land-dwelling birds and include species that are economically important to humans as food sources and are familiar parts of many ecosystems worldwide.
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Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- taxon
- Parent taxon
- Pangalliformes
- Image
- Meleagris ocellata1.jpg
Show 4 more facts
- P105
- order
Article
13 sectionsContents
- Systematics and evolution
- Evolution
- List of major taxa
- Phylogeny
- Description
- Flightlessness
- Behaviour and ecology
- Winter ecology
- Food and feeding
- Reproduction
- Common species
- References
- External links
Galliformes , also known as gallinaceous birds or landfowl, is an order of heavy-bodied terrestrial birds that contains about 290 species. The order is divided into five families: Phasianidae (chicken and junglefowls, Old World quails, partridges, pheasants, turkeys, peafowl and grouse), Odontophoridae (New World quails), Numididae (guinea fowl), Cracidae (including chachalacas and curassows), and Megapodiidae (incubator birds like malleefowl and brushturkeys). Galliformes and the semi-aquatic order Anseriformes (waterfowl) are collectively called fowl.
Galliform birds have adapted to most environments except innermost deserts and perpetually icy regions, inhabiting every continent except Antarctica. They are important in their ecosystems as seed dispersers and insectivores/vermivores, and many are skilled ground-dwellers that escape predators by running rather than flying. They are sexually dimorphic, and males of most species are more colorful than the females, with often elaborate courtship behaviors that include strutting, fluffing of tail or head feathers, and vocal sounds. They are mainly non-migratory.