Knowra Wading bird Wading bird A bird adapted to forage in shallow water or wet ground, often with long legs. The group includes unrelated lineages rather than a single taxonomic order.
Long-legged wader : A wading bird with elongated legs that allow it to forage in water deeper than its body. Leg length helps many wading birds reach prey while keeping their bodies above water.
Spoonbill : A long-legged wading bird with a broad, flattened bill used to sweep through shallow water. Its bill shows how some waders detect prey by touch while feeding.
Great blue heron : A large North American heron that hunts fish and other prey in shallow water. It is a familiar example of a wader that captures prey by standing still and striking.
Waterfowl : A group of aquatic birds that includes ducks, geese, and swans. Waterfowl are adapted chiefly for swimming, unlike many waders that search on foot.
Shorebird : A bird that typically feeds along shorelines, mudflats, or other exposed wet ground. Many shorebirds forage in wet habitats, though not all have the stature of typical waders.
Heron : A long-legged, long-necked wading bird that commonly catches prey with a rapid bill strike. Herons demonstrate the still-hunting and sudden-strike method used by many waders.
Black-necked stilt : A shorebird with exceptionally long pink legs and a slender, straight bill. Its proportions illustrate how specialized leg length supports feeding in shallow water.
Seabird : A bird that obtains much of its food from marine environments. Seabirds typically forage at sea, while wading birds usually feed in shallow water or wet ground.
Wetland : An area where water covers or saturates the soil for part or all of the year. Wetlands provide the shallow water and feeding grounds that support many wading birds.
Flamingo : A long-legged waterbird that filters small food items from water with a specialized bill. Flamingos show that wading can accompany filter-feeding rather than hunting larger prey.
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