This order comprises the following families:

• Ardeidae (Herons)
• Pelecanidae (Pelicans)
• Balaenicipitidae (Shoebill)
• Scopidae (Hamerkop)
• Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills)

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

References

Chesser RT, Yeung CKL, Tao CT, Tian XH, and Lee SH (2010), Molecular phylogeny of the spoonbills (Aves: Threskiornithidae) based on mitochondrial DNA, Zootaxa 66, 53-60. (abstract)

Duan Y, Shao S, Li Y, and Luo X (2018) The complete mitochondrial genome and phylogenetic analysis of White-bellied Heron Ardea insignis (Pelecaniformes: Ardeidae), Mitochondrial DNA Part B 3, 1284-1285. (pdf)

Hruska JP (2018), "A phylogenomic evaluation of the relationships among herons (Aves, Ardeidae)", Master´s Thesis, University of Kansas. (pdf)

Huang T, Wang Y, Zhou YL, and Xu Z (2019), Complete mitochondrial genome of Pelcanus crispus and its phylogeny. Mitochondrial DNA Part B 4 (2), 3075-3076. (pdf) 

Kennedy M, Taylor SA, Nádvorník P, and Spencer HG (2013), The phylogenetic relationships of the extant pelicans inferred from DNA sequence data. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 2603, 215-222. (abstract)

Krattinger F (2010), "Molecular phylogeny of Threskiornithidae", Master´s Thesis, University of Fribourg. 

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-tree of life, Mol. Biol. Evol. 38 (1), 108-127. (pdf)

Liang WL, Zhu J, and Ren ZM (2019), Complete mitochondrial genome of Ciconia nigra (Ciconiiformes: Ciconiidae), a threatened stork in China. Mitochondrial DNA Part B 4 (2), 2509-2510. (pdf)

Päckert M, Hering J, Fuchs E, Barthel F, and Heim W (2014), Genetic barcoding confirms first breeding record of the Yellow Bittern, Ixobrychus sinensis (Aves: Pelecaniformes, Ardeidae) in the Western Palearctic. Vertebr. Zool. 64 (2), 251-260. (pdf)

Prum RO, Berv JS, Dornburg A, Field DJ, Townsend JP, Lemmon EM, and Lemmon AR (2015), A comprehensive phylogeny of birds (Aves) using targeted next-generation DNA sequencing, Nature 526, 569-573. (abstract)

Ramirez JL, Miyaki CY, and Del Lama SN (2013), Molecular phylogeny of Threskiornithidae (Aves: Pelecaniformes) based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA, Genet. Mol. Res. 12 (3). (pdf) 

Zhou X, Lin Q, Fang W, and Chen X (2013), The complete mitochondrial genomes of sixteen ardeid birds revealing the evolutionary process of the gene rearrangements, BMC Genomics 15, 573. (pdf)