Nearly all the Wading Birds have very long legs; in some species these
are of such surprising dimensions that the Birds appear to be mounted on
stilts. This peculiarity is well adapted to their modes of life. They
inhabit river banks, lakes and marshes, in which they find their food;
consequently they are fearless of water and ooze. Not all the birds
classed with the Waders live near the water, however; the Runners, or
such Birds as the Ostrich, Agami, Bustard Emu, etc., are usually classed
with the same group because of the similarity of their long, strong legs
and short wings.
The bills of the different Birds found in this group assume various
forms. They are generally long, but according to the species, they may
be thick or slender, tapering or flat, blunt or pointed, strong or weak,
and in some kinds, such as the Flamingo, the Spoonbill, the Boatbill,
etc., they really defy all description. The neck is always slender and
in perfect harmony with the length of the legs.
Almost all the Waders are powerful Birds on the wing, and twice a year
most of them emigrate like the Wild Ducks, Geese and Swans. There are
exceptions to this rule, however. Some of them, like the Bustard, move
through the air with difficulty; while the short winged species are
unable to fly at all, their wings being only useful for helping them
along in running, and thus assisted, they are remarkably swift.
The nature of their food varies with the form and strength of the bill,
and the locality they inhabit. It consists generally of Fish, worms and
insects, and sometimes of small animals and reptiles, as well as grasses
and seeds.
The Waders are usually divided into six great families. These are
classified under long Latin names descriptive of some peculiarity
belonging to each, but which can be more easily remembered as: First,
the Waders with united toes; second, the long-toed Waders; third, the
Waders with long bills; fourth, the Waders with knife-shaped bills;
fifth, the Waders with compressed bills; sixth, the short-winged Birds.