# Dichotomous Key/Aves

Dichotomous Key: Aves :
* Kingdom: Animalia
* Phylum: Animalia
* Subphylum: Chordata
* Class: Aves
Information related to Aves :
* Wikipedia
* Wikispecies
* Wikicommons
* Parent key: Chordata
* Subphyla
* Vertebrata
* Key: Aves
* Vertebrata
* Clerck, 1757

## Key to Aves

* Neognathae: Has the ability to fly.
* 2: Does not have the ability to fly.

## 2

* 5: Feet are webbed or lobate.
* 6: Feet are not webbed or lobate.

## 5

* Spheniscidae: Wings modified into flippers
* 7: Wings not modified into flippers

## 6

* 8: Height is over 70 centimeters
* 9: Height is less than 70 centimeters

## 7

* 10: Head is solid black or brown
* 11: Head is at least half white

## 8

* Struthio camelus: Two toes present on each foot.
* 14: Three toes present on each foot

## 9

* 16: Horn-like spongy crest present on forehead
* 17: No crest present on forehead

## 10

* 12: Dark brown to tan coloration clearly present in plumage.
* 13: Dark brown to tan coloration not clearly present in plumage.

## 11

* Podiceps taczanowskii: Plumage a mix of black and white only; Eyes are red.
* Rollandia microptera: Plumage a mix of black, brown, and white; Eyes are black.

## 12

* Anas aucklandica: Plumage color change from head to body gradual; Birds of the Auckland Islands.
* Anas nesiotis: Plumage color change from head to body abrupt; Birds of the Campbell Islands.

## 13

unfinished
* Nannopterum harrisi, Flightless Cormorant
* Tachyeres pteneres, Fuegian Steamer Duck
* Tachyeres brachypterous, Falkland Steamer Duck
* Tachyeres leucocephalus, Chubut Steamer Duck

## 14

* Dromaius novaehollandiae: Flaps wings when running; Small claw present at tip of wing.
* 15: Wings spread while running, acting as sails; Small claw absent at tip of wing.

## 15: Rheas

* Rhea americana: Adult is over 120 centimeters tall; Weight is 45-60 pounds; Bill measures 8-11 centimeters long; Birds of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
* Rhea pennata: Adult is less than 120 centimeters tall; Weight is 33-60 pounds; Bill measures 6-9 centimeters; Birds of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru.

## 16: Cassowaries

unfinished
* Casuarius casuarius, Southern Cassowary
* Casuarius unappendiculatus, Northern Cassowary
* Casuarius bennetti, Dwarf Cassowary

## 17

unfinished
* 18: Kiwis
* 19: everything else

## 18: Kiwis

unfinished
* Apteryx australis, Southern Brown Kiwi
* Apteryx haastii, Great Spotted Kiwi
* Apteryx mantelli, North Island Brown Kiwi
* Apteryx owenii, Little Spotted Kiwi
* Apteryx rowi, Okarito Brown Kiwi

## 19

* Strigops habroptilus: Two forward facing toes and two backward facing toes
* 20: Feet not arranged with two facing forward and two facing back.

## 20

* 21: Chest plumage appearing to have zebra-like black and white stripes.
* 22: Chest plumage with a solid color or if not, then plumage not appearing to have zebra stripes.

## 21

unfinished
* Aramidopsis plateni, Snoring Rail;
* Gallirallus rovianae, Roviana Rail;
* Gallirallus owstoni, Guam Rail;
* Gallirallus okinawae, Okinawa Rail;
* Gallirallus insignis, New Britain Rail also Pink Leg Rail

## 22

unfinished
Tasmanian Nativehen, Gough Island Moorhen, Makira Wood Rail, Samoan Wood Rail, Takahe (bright blue/green plumage), New Guinea Flightless Rail, invisible rail, Red-eyed Crake, Inaccessible Rail, Calayan Rail, Lord Howe Woodhen, New Caledonian Rail, Weka, Woodford's Rail, Giant Coot