Class Aves Linnaeus, 1758 - birds see Subclass Aves Linnaeus, 1758
Status: extant
   Subclass Ornithurae Haeckel, 1866 see Clade Ornithurae Haeckel 1866 [Gauthier 1986] {Chiappe 1991}
  Status: extant
     Infraclass Carinatae Merrem, 1813 see Clade Carinatae Merrem 1813 [Gauthier & de Queiroz 2001]
    Status: extant
       Order Ardeiformes Wagler, 1830
      Status: extant
         Suborder Plataleae A. Newton see Suborder Ciconiae Bonaparte, 1854
        Status: extant
           Family †Plegadornithidae Wetmore
          Status: fossil
             1 Genus †Plegadornis Wetmore, 1962
            Status: fossil