shorebird

American  

[shawr-burd, shohr-] / ˈʃɔrˌbɜrd, ˈʃoʊr- /

noun

1. a bird that frequents seashores, estuaries, etc., as the snipe, sandpiper, plover, and turnstone; a limicoline bird.

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Etymology

Origin of shorebird

First recorded in 1665–75; shore ¹ + bird

Example Sentences

Rice fields can be temporarily flooded during shorebird migration to give them a place to rest and feed on their travels.

From Science Daily • Dec. 21, 2023

Bird watchers are flocking to northeastern Wisconsin in hopes of glimpsing a shorebird last seen in the state almost 180 years ago.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 8, 2023

The crabs’ eggs are vitally important food for a declining subspecies of a bird called the red knot — a rust-colored, migratory shorebird listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 30, 2023

The crabs’ eggs are vitally important food for a declining subspecies of a bird called the red knot - a rust-colored, migratory shorebird listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

From Washington Times • Jul. 30, 2023

Seagulls wailed, a skinny shorebird ran up and down the sand, busily pecking.

From "The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich