An Initial Estimate of Avian Ark Kinds — Jean K. Lightner, 2013
- Initial estimate of the number bird kinds is 196.
- Many birds are definitely “clean” (kosher) so there would have been 7 (or 7 pairs) of many of these kinds. If all were clean, there would be 2,800 birds on the Ark. I need to review the kinds listed by Lightner to see if can determine how many are definitely unclean.
- Concluding section of the above article.
“In this survey, 196 “kinds” of birds were identified. While hybrid data was used where it was available, and the cognitum and other data were considered, many kinds were identified by equating the currently recognized family with a kind. This is overly simplistic. Further, bird taxonomy is still in a state of flux, so this should be considered only a rough, conservative estimate.
“There are many unanswered questions at this point. We still need to further assess diversity within kinds identified by hybrid data. This will help us understand what characteristics God designed to vary to enable birds to fill the earth. Hopefully this will suggest parameters for delimiting the kinds. Thus there is plenty of room for more exciting research to better understand how our magnificent Creator designed and provides for His Creation.”
| Order Tinamiformes | |
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| Tinamidae (Tinamous kind) 9 genera, 47 species |
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| Order Passeriformes The remaining birds are part of a huge order known as Passeriformes, often known as perching birds. This order includes over half the world’s bird species (Gill and Donsker 2013). It is incredibly diverse and includes a number of families that are united by hybridization data (Lightner 2010). As seen below, the taxonomic position of many species has been subject to considerable controversy. |
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| Rhipiduridae (The Fantail kind) 2 genera, 49 species |
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| Monarchidae (The Monarch kind) 16 genera, 98 species |
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| Corvidae (The Crow kind) 130 species Includes crows, ravens, magpies, jays Birds in this family are known for their intelligence and are the largest “songbirds” extant today |
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