What are Seabirds, Shorebirds and Waterfowl?
Gulls wheel gracefully in the wind, sandpipers scurry on toothpick legs, Great Blue Herons patiently stalk the shallows, Canada Geese honk overhead in V-formations. These and other birds are integral to the beauty of shoreline environments. There are so many different kinds of birds, it’s difficult to make generalizations. There are divers, dabblers, Oystercatchers, mud flat foragers, even surfers. Nevertheless, they can be generally grouped so that we may make some useful observations about their activities. Seabirds generally live, feed and breed either partially or wholly at sea. They often have long wings and may be graceful flyers or divers. Examples include gulls, cormorants and loons. Shorebirds often feed and migrate along shorelines, but also live in inland areas such as wetlands, lakes and tundra. They are generally characterized by long legs, long bills and streamlined bodies. Examples include plovers, oystercatchers and sandpipers. Waterfowl have strong, scaly legs and webb
