Columbea is a
clade suggested by genome analysis that contains
Columbiformes (pigeons and doves),
Pteroclidae (sandgrouse),
Mesitornithidae (mesites) and
Mirandornithes (flamingos and grebes).[2] Until their recent placement as the sister taxon to
Passerea, in the last decade various genetic analysis found them to be in the obsolete clade
Metaves.[3][4]
^Mourer-Chauvire, C. (1992) A very large primitive sandgrouse aves columbiformes pteroclidae in the paleogene of phosphorites du quercy france Comptes Rendus de l'Academie des Sciences Serie II Mecanique-Physique-Chimie Sciences de l'Univers Sciences de la Terre 314(2):228-235