nonpasserine

Nonpasserine birds are any birds that are not passerines, also known as perching birds. Passerines, or passeriforms, are the most diverse order of birds, making up about 60% of all bird species. They are characterized by a specific foot structure with four toes, three pointing forward and one backward, adapted for perching. This group includes songbirds, also called oscines, and suboscines. Nonpasserine birds encompass a wide variety of species, such as pigeons, woodpeckers, hummingbirds, and kingfishers. While passerines are considered the most highly evolved birds, nonpasserines represent a broad category of avian diversity.1234