Passerida is under the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy

Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy

The Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy is a bird taxonomy proposed by Charles Sibley and Jon Edward Ahlquist. It is based on DNA-DNA hybridization studies conducted in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s....

, one of two "parvorders" contained within the suborder Passeri (Standard taxonomic practice would place them at the rank of infraorder). While more recent research suggests that its sister parvorder, Corvida

Corvida

The "Corvida" were one of two "parvorders" contained within the suborder Passeri, as proposed in the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy. Standard taxonomic practice would place them at the rank of infraorder....

, is not a monophyletic grouping, the Passerida as a distinct clade

Clade

A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...

 are widely accepted.

Systematics and phylogeny

The Passerida quite certainly consist of the 3 major subclades outlined by Sibley & Ahlquist (1990). However, their content has been much revised. In addition, it has turned out that not all passeridan lineages neatly fit into this arrangement. The kinglet

Kinglet

The kinglets or crests are a small group of birds sometimes included in the Old World warblers, but are frequently given family status because they also resemble the titmice. The scientific name Regulidae is derived from the Latin word regulus for "petty king" or prince, and comes from the...

s are so distinct that they might actually form a separate infraorder, as they are only slightly less basal than the Corvoidea or the Picathartidae. See Jønsson & Fjeldså (2006) for details on phylogeny.

Superfamily Sylvioidea

Mostly insectivores, distribution centered on the Indo-Pacific

Indo-Pacific

The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region of the Earth's seas, comprising the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the seas connecting the two in the general area of Indonesia...

 region. Few occur in the Americas.

• Alaudidae: larks
• Hirundinidae: swallows and martins
• Phylloscopidae
  Phylloscopidae
  Phylloscopidae is a newly described family of small insectivorous birds formerly placed in the Old World warbler family. Its members occur in Eurasia, ranging into Wallacea and Africa...
  
  : leaf-warblers and allies. Recently split from Sylviidae.
• Aegithalidae: long-tailed tits
• Cettiidae
  Cettiidae
  Cettiidae is a newly validated family of small insectivorous songbirds , formerly placed in the Old World warbler "wastebin" assemblage. It contains the typical bush-warblers and their relatives. As common name, cettiid warblers is usually used.Its members occur mainly in Asia and Africa, ranging...
  
  : ground-warblers and allies. Recently split from Sylviidae.
• Megaluridae
  Megaluridae
  Locustellidae is a newly recognized family of small insectivorous songbirds , formerly placed in the Old World warbler "wastebin" family. It contains the grass-warblers, grassbirds, and the Bradypterus "bush-warblers". These birds occur mainly in Eurasia, Africa, and the Australian region...
  
  : grass-warblers and allies. Recently split from Sylviidae.
• Bernieridae: Malagasy warblers. A newly assembled family.
• Acrocephalidae
  Acrocephalidae
  Acrocephalidae is a family of oscine passerine birds, in the superfamily Sylvioidea....
  
  : marsh- and tree-warblers. Recently split from Sylviidae.
• Pycnonotidae: bulbuls
• Cisticolidae
  Cisticolidae
  The Cisticolidae family of small passerine birds is a group of about 110 warblers found mainly in warmer southern regions of the Old World. They are often included within the Old World warbler family Sylviidae....
  
  : cisticolas and allies
• Sylviidae
  Sylviidae
  Sylviidae is a family of passerine birds that was part of an assemblage known as the Old World warblers. The family was formerly a wastebin taxon with over 400 species of bird in over 70 genera. The family was poorly defined with many characteristics shared with other families...
  
  : "true/sylviid warblers" and parrotbills. Might be merged into Timaliidae. Monophyly needs confirmation.
• Zosteropidae: white-eyes. Probably belongs into Timaliidae.
• Timaliidae: babblers. Monophyly needs confirmation.
• Sylvioidea incertae sedis
  • "African warblers": A proposed clade, but monophyly needs confirmation. Formerly in Sylviidae.
  • Donacobius: Black-capped Donacobius. Monotypic
    Monotypic
    In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
    
     family? Tentatively placed here; possibly closest to Megaluridae. Formerly in Troglodytidae.
  • Nicator
    Nicator
    Nicator is a genus of songbird endemic to Africa. The genus contains three medium sized passerine birds.-Taxonomy:The systematic affinities of the genus have been a long-standing mystery. The group was originally assigned to the shrikes...
    
    : Relationships unresolved, monotypic family? Tentatively placed here; formerly in Pycnonotidae.
  • Panurus: Bearded Reedling (Bearded "Tit"). Relationships enigmatic, monotypic family Panuridae? Tentatively placed here; formerly in "Paradoxornithidae".

Superfamily Muscicapoidea

Mostly insectivores, near-global distribution centered on Old World tropics

Tropics

The tropics is a region of the Earth surrounding the Equator. It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately  N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at  S; these latitudes correspond to the axial tilt of the Earth...

. One family endemic to Americas.

• Cinclidae: dippers
• Muscicapidae: Old World flycatchers and chats. Monophyly needs confirmation.
• Turdidae: thrushes and allies. Monophyly needs confirmation.
• Buphagidae: oxpeckers. Formerly usually included in Sturnidae.
• Sturnidae: starlings and possibly Philippine creeper
  Philippine creeper
  The Philippine creepers or rhabdornises are small passerine birds. They are endemic to the Philippines. The group contains a single genus Rhabdornis with three species...
  
  s. Placement of latter in Muscicapoidea seems good, but inclusion in Sturnidae requires confirmation; possibly distinct family Rhabdornithidae.
• Mimidae: mockingbirds and thrashers

Superfamily Passeroidea

Mostly herbivores, near-global distribution centered on Palearctic

Palearctic

The Palearctic or Palaearctic is one of the eight ecozones dividing the Earth's surface.Physically, the Palearctic is the largest ecozone...

 and Americas. Includes the Nine-primaried oscine

Nine-primaried oscine

The nine-primaried oscines are a group of songbird families from the superfamily Passeroidea. It is composed of the Fringillidae , Emberizidae , Parulidae , Thraupidae , Cardinalidae , Icteridae and the monotypic Peucedramidae...

s (probably a subclade).

• Passeridae: true sparrows
• Prunellidae: accentors
• Motacillidae
  Motacillidae
  The Motacillidae are a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. There are around 65 species in 6 genera and they include the wagtails, longclaws and pipits. The longclaws are entirely restricted to the Afrotropics, and the wagtails are predominately found in Europe, Africa and...
  
  : wagtails and pipits
• Urocynchramidae: Przewalski's Finch. Recently split from Fringillidae; tentatively placed here.
• Estrildidae: estrildid finches (waxbills, munias, etc.)
• Ploceidae: weavers
• Viduidae: indigobirds and whydahs
• Nine-primaried oscine
  Nine-primaried oscine
  The nine-primaried oscines are a group of songbird families from the superfamily Passeroidea. It is composed of the Fringillidae , Emberizidae , Parulidae , Thraupidae , Cardinalidae , Icteridae and the monotypic Peucedramidae...
  
  s
  • Peucedramidae: Olive Warbler
  • Fringillidae: true finches. Possibly polyphyletic.
  • Drepanididae: Hawaiian honeycreepers. Might be merged into Fringillidae.
  • Icteridae: grackles, New World blackbirds, and New World orioles
  • Parulidae: New World warblers
  • Thraupidae: tanagers and allies
  • Cardinalidae: cardinals
  • Emberizidae
    Emberizidae
    The Emberizidae are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with a distinctively shaped bill.In Europe, most species are called buntings. In North America, most of the species in this family are known as sparrows, but these birds are not closely related to the sparrows, the...
    
    : buntings and American sparrows
• Passeroidea incertae sedis
  • Coerebidae: Bananaquit. Family invalid or not monotypic
    Monotypic
    In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
    
    ; reallocation pending.

Passerida incertae sedis

Rather basal Passerida, most of which seem to constitute several small but distinct superfamilies. Most occur in Asia, Africa and North America.

• Possible superfamily "Dicaeoidea" – sunbirds and flowerpeckers
  • Nectariniidae: sunbirds
  • Dicaeidae: flowerpeckers

• Possible superfamily Bombycilloidea – waxwings and allies
  • Bombycillidae: waxwings
  • Dulidae: Palmchat. Tentatively placed here.
  • Ptilogonatidae: silky flycatchers. Tentatively placed here.
  • Hypocoliidae: Hypocolius. Tentatively placed here.

• Possible superfamily Paroidea – titmice and allies
  • Paridae: tits, chickadees and titmice
  • Remizidae: penduline tits. Sometimes included in Paridae.
  • Stenostiridae
    Stenostiridae
    Stenostiridae, or the Fairy Flycatchers, is a family of small passerine birds proposed as a result of recent discoveries in molecular systematics . They are commonly referred to as stenostirid warblers....
    
    : stenostirids ("flycatcher-tits"). A newly assembled family; sometimes included in Paridae.

• Possible superfamily Sittoidea or Certhioidea – wrens and allies.
  • Sittidae
    Sittidae
    Sittidae is a family of small passerine birds which contains the single genus Sitta containing about 24 species of nuthatches, which are found across Eurasia and North America....
    
    : nuthatches
  • Tichodromadidae: Wallcreeper. Tentatively placed here.
  • Certhiidae: treecreepers
  • Salpornithidae: Spotted Creeper. Tentatively placed here; might belong into Certhidae.
  • Troglodytidae: wrens
  • Polioptilidae: gnatcatchers

• Possible monotypic superfamily N.N.
  • Promeropidae: sugarbirds

• Possible monotypic superfamily N.N.
  • Family N.N.: Hyliota
    Hyliota
    Hyliota is a genus of passerine bird. The taxonomic position of the genus has been a long standing mystery. They have been formerly regarded as Old World warblers in the Sylviidae family, or related to the batises and wattle-eyes in the family Platysteiridae, bush-shrikes in the family...
    
    s. Recently split from Sylviidae.

• Possible superfamily Reguloidea – kinglets. Tentatively placed here.
  • Regulidae: kinglets

Probably not Passerida

These have been assigned to the Passerida in recent times, often based on DNA-DNA hybridization data. However, they are probably more basal among the songbirds and would belong either to the Corvoidea or the allied basal lineages. Most of them are either African or Wallacean groups.

• Chloropseidae: leafbirds
• Aegithinidae: ioras
• Picathartidae: rockfowl
• Melanocharitidae
  Melanocharitidae
  The Melanocharitidae, the berrypeckers and longbills, is a small bird family restricted to the forests of New Guinea. The family contains ten species in four genera...
  
  : berrypeckers and longbills
• Paramythiidae
  Paramythiidae
  The painted berrypeckers, Paramythiidae, are a very small bird family restricted to the mountain forests of New Guinea. The family comprises two species in two genera: the Tit Berrypecker and the Crested Berrypecker . These are colourful medium-sized birds which feed on fruit and some insects...
  
  : tit berrypecker and crested berrypeckers
• Platysteiridae: wattle-eyes or puffback flycatchers