Sandpipers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of small wading birds found along shorelines and wetlands, characterized by their long legs and slender bodies
2. Any of several species within the family Scolopacidae, typically known for their distinctive feeding behavior and migratory patterns
3. Small, agile birds often seen probing in mud or sand for invertebrates, recognizable by their swift movements and distinct calls

Etymology: Sandpipers is the plural of sandpiper, the name for a family of small, long-legged shore birds that probe wet sand and mudflats for food. The word is a plain compound: "sand" plus "piper," with the second part referring to the birds' thin, piping calls. The piper element is the same one found in other bird names such as the piping plover, so the word describes the birds by both where they feed and how they sound.

Synonyms: shorebirds, waders, curlews, plovers, snipe