Notopalaeognathae is a clade that contains the order

Rheiformes Rheiformes is an order that contains the family Rheidae (rheas). It is in the infraclass Paleognathae, which contains all ratites. Extant members are found in South America. While the IOC World Bird List and the Clements Checklist categorise Rhe ...

(rheas), the clade Novaeratitae (birds such as the

kiwi Kiwi most commonly refers to: * Kiwi (bird), a flightless bird native to New Zealand * Kiwi (nickname), a nickname for New Zealanders * Kiwifruit, an edible berry * Kiwi dollar or New Zealand dollar, a unit of currency Kiwi or KIWI may also refe ...

s and the

emu The emu () (''Dromaius novaehollandiae'') is the second-tallest living bird after its ratite relative the ostrich. It is endemic to Australia where it is the largest native bird and the only extant member of the genus ''Dromaius''. The emu' ...

s), the order Tinamiformes (tinamous) and the extinct order

Dinornithiformes Moa are extinct giant flightless birds native to New Zealand. The term has also come to be used for chicken in many Polynesian cultures and is found in the names of many chicken recipes, such as Kale moa and Moa Samoa. Moa or MOA may also refer ...

(the moas). The exact relationships of this group have only recently been understood, with tinamous and the moas sharing a common ancestor and the kiwis being more closely related to emus and cassowaries. The extinct

elephant bird Elephant birds are members of the extinct ratite family Aepyornithidae, made up of flightless birds that once lived on the island of Madagascar. They are thought to have become extinct around 1000-1200 CE, probably as a result of human activity. ...

s of Madagascar have recently been identified as closest relative to the kiwis. The rheas are either the basal most branch of notopalaeognaths or the sister group to Novaeratitae. The sister group to Notopalaeognathae is

Struthionidae Struthionidae (; ) is a family of flightless birds, containing the extant ostriches and their extinct relatives. The two extant species of ostrich are the common ostrich and Somali ostrich, both in the genus ''Struthio'', which also contains seve ...

(the ostrich family).

References

Paleognathae Extant Aptian first appearances {{bird-stub