Fowl usually refers to birds belonging to one of two biological
orders, namely the gamefowl or landfowl (Galliformes) and the
waterfowl (Anseriformes). It happens that birds in these groups
are good to eat, and often hunted by gun. So the word 'fowl' may
be used for a gamebird. Studies of anatomical and molecular
similarities suggest these two groups are close evolutionary
relatives. Together, they form the fowl clade, the Galloanserae.
This clade is also supported by morphological and DNA sequence
data, as well as retrotransposon data. - Sibley C, Ahlquist J. &
Monroe B. 1988. A classification of the living birds of the
world based on DNA-DNA hybridization studies. Auk 105: 409-423.
- Chubb A. 2004. New nuclear evidence for the oldest divergence
among neognath birds: the phylogenetic utility of ZENK(i).
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 30: 140-151 - Kriegs et
al. 2007. Waves of genomic hitchhikers shed light on the
evolution of gamebirds (Aves: Galliformes). BMC Evolutionary
Biology 7: 190 (Fulltext). A