This superorder is represented by the sole order Strigiformes comprising the following families:

• Strigidae (Typical Owls)
• Tytonidae (Barn Owls)

Family-level timetree of the family-level relationships within extant Strigiformes based on Kuhl et al. (2021), with the distribution of each taxon being indicated by the colour-code used throughout this website (Distribution code).  

Genus-level timetree of extant Strigiformes, with the distribution of each taxon being indicated by the colour-code used throughout this website (Distribution code). 

Provisional genus-level classification of extant Strigiformes. 

References

Dantas SM, Weckstein JD, Bates JM, Krabbe NK, Cadena CD, Robbins MB, Valderrama E, and Aleixo A (2016), Molecular systematics of the new world screech-owls (Megascops: Aves, Strigidae): biogeographic and taxonomic implications, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 94, 626-634. (free reading)

Dantas SM, Weckstein JD, Bates J, Oliveira JN, Catanach TA, and Aleixo A (2021), Multi-character taxonomic review, systematics, and biogeography of the Black-capped/Tawny-bellied Screech Owl (Megascops atricapilla/M. watsonii) complex (Aves: Strigidae), Zootaxa 4949, 401-444. (pdf)

Fuchs J, Pons JM, Goodman SM, Bretagnolle V, Melo M, Bowie RCK, Currie D, Safford R, Virani MZ, Thomsett S, Hija A, Cruaud C, and Pasquet E (2008), Tracing the colonization history of the Indian Ocean scops-owls (Strigiformes: Otus) with further insight into the spatio-temporal origin of the Malagasy avifauna, BMC Evol. Biol. 8, e:197. (pdf)

Gwee CC, Christidis L, Eaton JA, Norman JA, Trainor CR, Verbelen P, and Rheindt FE (2017), Bioacoustic and multi-locus DNA data of Ninox owls support high incidence of extinction and recolonization on small, low-lying islands across Walacea, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 109, 246-258. (abstract)

Kang H, Li B, Ma X, and Xu Y (2018), Evolutionary progression of mitochondrial gene rearrangements and phylogenetic relationships in Strigidae (Strigiformes), Gene 674, 8-14. (abstract)

Koparde P, Mehta P, Reddy S, Ramakrishnan U, Mukherjee S, and Robin VV (2018), The critically endangered forest owlet Heteroglaux blewetti is nested within the currently recognized Athene clade: a century-old debate addressed, PLoS ONE 13, e:0192359. (pdf)

Kuhl H, Frankl-Vilches C, Bakker A, Mayr G, Nikolaus G, Boerno ST, Klages S, Timmermann B, and Gahr M (2021), An unbiased molecular approach using 3'UTRs resolves the avian family-level tree of life, Mol. Biol. Evol. 38, 108-127. (free pdf)

Liu G, Zhou L, and Zhao G (2019), Complete mitochondrial genomes of five raptors and implications for the phylogenetic relationships between owls and nightjars, PeerJ Preprints. 7, e:27478v1. (free pdf) 

Melo M, Freitas B, Verbelen P, da Costa SR, Pereira H, Fuchs J, Sangster G, Correia MN, de Lima RF, and Crottini A (2022), A new species of scops-owl (Aves, Strigiformes, Strigidae, Otus) from Príncipe Island (Gulf of Guinea, Africa) and novel insights into the systematic affinities within Otus, ZooKeys 1126, 1-54. (free pdf)

Miranda HC, Kennedy RS, and Mindell DP (1997), Phylogenetic placement of Mimizuku gurneyi (Aves: Strigidae) inferred from mitochondrial DNA, Auk 114, 315-323. (author pdf)

Miranda HC, Brooks DM, and Kennedy RS (2011), Phylogeny and taxonomic review of Philippine lowland scops owls (Strigiformes): parallel diversification of highland and lowland clades, Wilson J. Ornith. 123, 441-453. (abstract)

Park CE, Kim MC, Ibal JCP, Pham HQ, Park HC, and Shin JH (2019), The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Otus bakkamoena (Aves, Strigiformes, Strigidae), Mitochondrial DNA Part B 4, 775-776. (pdf)

Salter JF, Oliveros CH, Hosner PA, Manthey JD, Robbins MB, Moyle RG, Brumfield RT, and Faircloth BC (2020), Extensive paraphyly in the typical owl family (Strigidae), Auk 137, e:ukz070. (free pdf)

Stiller J, Feng S, Chowdhury AA, Rivas-González I, Duchêne DA, Fang Q, Deng Y, Kozlov A, Stamatakis A, Claramunt S, Nguyen JMT, Ho SYW, Faircloth BC, Haag J, Houde P, Cracraft J, Balaban M, Mai U, Chen G, Gao R, Zhou C, Xie Y, Huang Z, Cao Z, Yan Z, Ogilvie HA, Nakhleh L, Lindow B, Morel B, Fjeldså J, Hosner PA, da Fonseca RR, Petersen B, Tobias JA, Székely T, Kennedy JD, Reeve AH, Liker A, Stervander M, Antunes A, Tietze DT, Bertelsen M, Lei F, Rahbek C, Graves GR, Schierup MH, Warnow T, Braun EL, Gilbert MTP, Jarvis ED, Mirarab S, and Zhang G (2024), Complexity of avian evolution revealed by family-level genomes, Nature 629, 851-860. (pdf) 

Sun X, Zhou W, Sun Z, Qian L, Zhang Y, Pan T, and Zhang B (2016), The complete mitochondrial genome of Glaucidium brodiei (Strigiformes: Strigidae), Mitochondrial DNA Part A 27, 2508-09. (abstract)

Sun CH, Liu HY, Min X, and Lu CH (2020), Mitogenome of the little owl Athene noctua and phylogenetic analysis of Strigidae, Int. J. Biol. Mac. 151, 924-931. (abstract)

Uva V, Päckert M, Cibois A, Fumagalli L, and Roulin A (2018), Comprehensive molecular phylogeny of barn owls and relatives (Family: Tytonidae), and their six major Pleistocene radiations, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 125, 127-137. (abstract)

Wang Y, Zhan H, Zhang Y, Long Z, and Yang X (2023), Mitochondrial genome analysis, phylogeny and divergence time evaluation of Strix aluco (Aves, Strigiformes, Strigidae), Biodiv. Data J. 11, e:101942. (free pdf)

Wink M, El-Sayed AA, Sauer-Gürth H, and Gonzalez J (2009), Molecular phylogeny of owls (Strigiformes) inferred from DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b and the nuclear RAG-1 gene, Ardea 97, 581-591. (free pdf)

Wink M, and Sauer-Gürth H (2021), Molecular taxonomy and systematics of owls (Strigiformes) - an update, AIRO 29, 487-500. (abstract)

Wood JR, Mitchell KJ, Scofield RP, de Pietri VL, Rawlence NJ, and Cooper A (2017), Phylogenetic relationships and terrestrial adaptations of the extinct Laughing Owl, Sceloglaux albifacies (Aves: Strigidae), Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 179, 907-918. (abstract)