Eurypygiformes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eurypygiformes Temporal range: Early Eocene to present PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Clade:	Eurypygimorphae
Order:	Eurypygiformes Hackett et al., 2008
Families
Rhynochetidae Eurypygidae

Eurypygiformes is a special group of birds. It includes the kagus, which are found only in New Caledonia. It also includes the sunbittern, which lives in tropical parts of the Americas. These birds are quite unique. Their closest relatives seem to be the tropicbirds, which live in warm ocean areas around the world.

Understanding Eurypygiformes Birds

This bird group is made up of two families. They are ancient birds from a supercontinent called Gondwana. Scientists have studied their features to understand where they fit in the bird family tree.

Where They Fit In

At first, scientists thought these birds were related to herons. Later, they were grouped with cranes and similar birds. But new studies, especially those looking at their genes, show they are related to tropicbirds. The oldest known fossil of a bird from this group is a type of sunbittern. It was found in the United States and is about 50 million years old.

The Kagu and Sunbittern Connection

The kagu and the sunbittern are very close relatives. They are like sister species. Scientists believe their common ancestor lived a long time ago. This ancestor was separated when the supercontinent Gondwana broke apart. One group ended up in South America, and the other in New Caledonia.

Both the kagu and the sunbittern have special "powder down" feathers. These feathers break down into a fine powder. This powder helps them clean and waterproof their other feathers.

The Extinct Lowland Kagu

The kagu you see today is the only living species in its family. But there was once a larger relative called the lowland kagu. This bird lived in New Caledonia too. It was about 15% bigger than the kagu we know.

The lowland kagu became extinct after humans arrived in New Caledonia. Many other species also disappeared around that time. Scientists think the lowland kagu lived in the lowlands, while the modern kagu lived in the highlands.

Meet the Eurypygiformes Species

Here's a look at the two main species in this bird group. You can see their populations and how they are doing today.

Common Name	Scientific Name	Population	Status	Trend	Notes	Image
Kagu	Rhynochetos jubatus	601–2,000	Endangered		This means there are only about 250 to 999 adult birds left.
Sunbittern	Eurypyga helias	500,000–4,999,999	Least Concern		This is an estimate for adult birds only.