Near passerines and higher land-bird assemblage are terms of traditional, pre-cladistic taxonomy that have often been given to tree-dwelling birds or those most often believed to be related to the true passerines (order Passeriformes) owing to morphological and ecological similarities; the group corresponds to some extent with the Anomalogonatae of Alfred Henry Garrod.
However, molecular data does not support the traditional arrangement; it is now clear that "near passerines" and "higher landbirds" are not synonymous.
Per Ericson and colleagues, analyzing genomic DNA revealed a lineage comprising Passeriformes, Psittaciformes and Falconiformes.
[2] Pterocliformes (sandgrouse), Columbiformes (pigeons), Cuculiformes (cuckoos), Caprimulgiformes (nightjars), and Apodiformes (swifts, hummingbirds) are no longer recognized as near passerines.
The phylogenetic relationships between the orders are:[5][6] Cariamiformes – seriemas Falconiformes – falcons Psittaciformes – parrots Passeriformes – passerines