It is considered to constitute one of two genera in the extinct family Sylviornithidae, alongside Megavitiornis from Fiji, which are related to the Galliformes, the group containing the turkeys, chickens, quails and pheasants.
This species is classified as belonging to one of two genera within the extinct Sylviornithidae family, alongside Megavitiornis from Fiji, both of which share a close evolutionary relationship with the Galliformes, a group that includes turkeys, chickens, quails, and pheasants.