Flycatchers, Songbirds and Allies
PasseriformesMembers of this diverse group make up more than half of the bird species worldwide. Most are small. However their brains are relatively large and their learning abilities are greater than those of most other birds. Passerine birds are divided into two suborders, the suboscines and the oscines. Oscines are capable of more complex song, and are considered the true songbirds. In Washington, the tyrant flycatchers are the only suboscines; the remaining 27 families are oscines.
Families Found in Washington
- Tyrant Flycatchers (Family Tyrannidae)
- Shrikes (Family Laniidae)
- Vireos (Family Vireonidae)
- Crows, Jays and Allies (Family Corvidae)
- Larks (Family Alaudidae)
- Swallows (Family Hirundinidae)
- Chickadees (Family Paridae)
- Bushtits (Family Aegithalidae)
- Nuthatches (Family Sittidae)
- Creepers (Family Certhiidae)
- Wrens (Family Troglodytidae)
- Dippers (Family Cinclidae)
- Kinglets (Family Regulidae)
- Gnatcatchers (Family Sylviidae)
- Thrushes (Family Turdidae)
- Mockingbirds, Thrashers and Allies (Family Mimidae)
- Starlings (Family Sturnidae)
- Accentors (Family Prunellidae)
- Wagtails and Pipits (Family Motacillidae)
- Waxwings (Family Bombycillidae)
- Silky-flycatchers (Family Ptilogonatidae)
- Warblers (Family Parulidae)
- Tanagers (Family Thraupidae)
- Sparrows, Towhees, Longspurs and Allies (Family Emberizidae)
- Grosbeaks, Buntings and Allies (Family Cardinalidae)
- Blackbirds and Allies (Family Icteridae)
- Finches and Allies (Family Fringillidae)
- Old World Sparrows (Family Passeridae)