Strigiformes

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Strigiformes, (Aves: Neornithes)

Owls, consisting of two families, Strigidae and Tytonidae. Strigiformes is almost assuredly derived from within Caprimulgiformes, and only convergently similar to Falconiformes, although Cracraft (1981) argued for a close relationship between the raptorial birds. Such a hypothesis is completely unsubstantiated, being in effect little more than clado-phenetics linking morphotypes, rather than sister lineages. These fabulous birds, are represented by one of the most peculiar of fossil records, and arguably represents the most highly specialized group of predators within Aves.