Parent taxon: Aves according to T. H. Worthy and J. A. Grant-Mackie 2003
Sister taxa: Accipitriformes, Aegotheliformes, Aletornis, Avimimiformes, Avipedidae, Callaeidae, Chaoyangornithidae, Charadriiformes, Colymbiformes, Emeidae, Eoaves, Eremopezidae, Gansuiformes, Gastornithiformes, Hwangsanipes, Ignotornidae, Jeholornithiformes, Jindongornipodidae, Koreanornipodidae, Liaoxiornithidae, Manu, Meliphagidae, Metornithes, Mystiornithiformes, Neornithes, Odontornithes, Omnivoropterygiformes, Ornithothoraces, Ornithurae, Palaeoaves, Pangalliformes, Pansphenisciformes, Petroicidae, Proornis, Protoaviformes, Pygostylia, Rahona, Sapeornithiformes, Shandongornipodidae, Sphenisciformes, Stereornithes, Struthiones, Tatarornipes, Trisauropodiscidae, Tshulia, Tubinares, Turnagridae, Uhangrichnus, Zhongjianornis, Zhongornis
Subtaxa: Rhipidura, Terpsiphone
Ecology: ground dwelling carnivore