Welcome to the Bird Chromosome Database (BCD)
The BCD is an open resource that comprises information about chromosome number, karyotype, and the advances obtained by Fluorescent in situ Hybridization (FISH) studies in birds. The main purpose of this database is to retrieve and organize historical/current information regarding avian cytogenetics. Furthermore, it also aims to stimulate the development of new studies in this field.
Analysis of the data available in V.4.0/2023
The new version V4.0/2023 of BCD includes data from the chromosomal number of 1.080 bird species, and chromosome painting using Gallus gallus (GGA) probes of 128 species.
The percentage of species in each avian order that have available data is shown in Table 1.
| Table 1: Total number of bird species per order, numbers, and percentages of species karyotyped and analyzed with GGA chromosome probes | |||||
| Order | Total number species* | Number of species karyotyped | % | Number of species with WCP data | % |
| Struthioniformes | 2 | 1 | 50.0% | 1 | 50.0% |
| Rheiformes | 2 | 2 | 100.0% | 2 | 100.0% |
| Apterygiformes | 5 | 1 | 20.0% | – | – |
| Casuariiformes | 4 | 2 | 50.0% | 2 | 50.0% |
| Tinamiformes | 47 | 6 | 12.8% | 1 | 2.1% |
| Anseriformes | 177 | 46 | 26.0% | 8 | 4.5% |
| Galliformes | 300 | 54 | 18.0% | 16 | 5.3% |
| Gaviiformes | 5 | 1 | 20.0% | – | – |
| Sphenisciformes | 18 | 8 | 44.4% | – | – |
| Eurypygiformes | 2 | 2 | 100.0% | 1 | 50.0% |
| Procellariiformes | 147 | 5 | 3.4% | – | – |
| Podicipediformes | 23 | 4 | 17.4% | – | – |
| Phoenicopteriformes | 6 | 3 | 50.0% | – | – |
| Phaethontiformes | 3 | – | – | – | – |
| Ciconiiformes | 19 | 14 | 73.7% | 2 | 10.5% |
| Pelecaniformes | 118 | 35 | 29.7% | 3 | 2.5% |
| Suliformes | 61 | 6 | 9.8% | – | – |
| Accipitriformes | 266 | 68 | 25.6% | 12 | 4.5% |
| Otidiformes | 26 | 1 | 3.8% | – | – |
| Mesitornithiformes | 3 | – | – | – | – |
| Cariamiformes | 2 | 2 | 100.0% | – | – |
| Gruiformes | 189 | 30 | 15.9% | 5 | 2.6% |
| Charadriiformes | 383 | 67 | 17.5% | 7 | 1.8% |
| Pterocliformes | 16 | 1 | 6.3% | – | – |
| Opisthocomiformes | 1 | 1 | 100.0% | 1 | 100.0% |
| Columbiformes | 344 | 32 | 9.3% | 11 | 3.2% |
| Musophagiformes | 23 | 3 | 13.0% | – | – |
| Cuculiformes | 149 | 12 | 8.1% | 3 | 2.0% |
| Strigiformes | 243 | 32 | 13.2% | 3 | 1.2% |
| Caprimulgiformes | 122 | 10 | 8.2% | – | – |
| Apodiformes | 481 | 14 | 2.9% | 3 | 0.6% |
| Coliiformes | 6 | 1 | 16.7% | – | – |
| Trogoniformes | 43 | 2 | 4.7% | 1 | 2.3% |
| Leptosomiformes | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| Coraciiformes | 177 | 13 | 7.3% | – | – |
| Bucerotiformes | 74 | 6 | 8.1% | – | – |
| Piciformes | 445 | 34 | 7.6% | 2 | 0.4% |
| Falconiformes | 67 | 14 | 20.9% | 6 | 9.0% |
| Psittaciformes | 398 | 83 | 20.9% | 10 | 2.5% |
| Passeriformes | 6459 | 464 | 7.2% | 28 | 0.4% |
| Total entries | 10.857 | 1.080 | 9.9% | 128 | 1.18% |
* According to Gill and Donsker [2018]; WCP whole chromosome probes; – no records found.
Frequency of diploid number in birds
The database will be updated regularly and all users are encouraged to contribute to the improvement and spreading of bird cytogenetic information.