Telluraves

Telluraves (also called land birds or core landbirds) is a recently defined clade of birds with controversial content. Based on most recent genetic studies, the clade unites a variety of bird groups, including the australavians (passerines, parrots, seriamas, and falcons) as well as the afroavians (including raptors and woodpeckers). They appear to be the sister group of a newly defined clade centered on Aequornithes.

Given that the two most basal branches of both Afroaves and Australaves are predatory, it is inferred that the common ancestor of Telluraves was an apex predator.

Cladogram of Telluraves relationships based on Jarvis, E.D. et al. (2014) with some clade names after Yury, T. et al. (2013).