COLUMBIFORMES

The bird order 'Columbiformes' includes the very widespread and successful doves and pigeons, classified in the family Columbidae, and the extinct Dodo and the Rodrigues Solitaire and Réunion Solitaire, long classified as a second family Raphidae.^[1] 313 species, found worldwide, comprise the Columbiformes order. ^[2] Like many birds, all Columbiformes are monogamous; that is, they have only one single mate at a time. Unlike most other birds, however, they are capable of drinking by sucking up water, without needing to tilt the head back. [1]
The Pteroclidae (sandgrouse) were formerly included in this order; they are now treated separately in the order Pteroclidiformes and are considered to be closer to the shorebirds.
Osteology and DNA sequence analyses ^{[3] [4]} indicate that the the Dodo and Rodrigues Solitaire are better considered as a subfamily Raphinae in the Columbidae pending availability of further information.

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References

1. "Columbiformes (Pigeons, Doves, and Dodos)". Francis Hugh John Crome. ''Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia''. Eds. Michael Hutchins, Dennis A. Thoney, and Melissa C. McDade. Vol. 9: Birds II. 2nd ed. Detroit: Gale, 2004. p 241-246. 17 vols.
2. [Curry, Robert. "Avian Orders: Columbiformes." BirdNet. 1 Nov. 2003. Smithsonian Institution. 11 Aug. 2007 .
3. 'Janoo', Anwar (2005): Discovery of isolated dodo bones [''Raphus cucullatus'' (L.), Aves, Columbiformes] from Mauritius cave shelters highlights human predation, with a comment on the status of the family Raphidae Wetmore, 1930. ''Annales de Paléontologie'' '91': 167–180. [English with French abstract] (HTML abstract)
4. 'Shapiro', Beth; Sibthorpe, Dean; Rambaut, Andrew; Austin, Jeremy; Wragg, Graham M.; Bininda-Emonds, Olaf R. P.; Lee, Patricia L. M. & Cooper, Alan (2002): Flight of the Dodo. ''Science'' '295': 1683. (HTML abstract) Supplementary information

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