| Noun | 1. | suborder Charadrii - shorebirds: plovers; sandpipers; avocets; phalaropes; coursers; stone curlews animal order - the order of animals Charadriiformes, order Charadriiformes - large diverse order of aquatic birds found along seacoasts and inland waters: shorebirds and coastal diving birds; most feed on anima life limicoline bird, shore bird, shorebird - any of numerous wading birds that frequent mostly seashores and estuaries Charadriidae, family Charadriidae - plover family family Scolopacidae, Scolopacidae - sandpiper family: sandpipers; woodcocks; snipes; tattlers; curlews; godwits; dowitchers genus Himantopus, Himantopus - major one of two genera of stilts; similar to avocets but with straight bills Cladorhyncus, genus Cladorhyncus - one of two genera of stilts; similar to avocets but with straight bills family Recurvirostridae, Recurvirostridae - long-legged shorebirds family Haematopodidae, Haematopodidae - oystercatchers family Phalaropidae, Phalaropidae - phalaropes family Glareolidae, Glareolidae - Old World shorebirds: pratincoles and coursers Burhinidae, family Burhinidae - large wading birds resembling the plovers: stone curlews |