shorebird

noun

shore·​bird ˈshȯr-ˌbərd How to pronounce shorebird (audio)
: any of a suborder (Charadrii) of birds (such as a plover or sandpiper) that frequent the seashore

Examples of shorebird in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Plenty of people were on the beach, so all of the shorebirds were across the inlet on Figure Eight Island. Taylor Piephoff, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 Other animals have also exhibited similar feats of wakefulness; scientists have observed male Pectoral Sandpipers, members of a migratory shorebird species, spending up to 95 percent of their time awake and active during their three-week breeding season. Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 25 Jan. 2024 Recent bird sightings as reported to the Mass Audubon: Coastal migrating shorebirds and increasing numbers of warblers from various areas are among the dominant bird species being reported. BostonGlobe.com, 26 Aug. 2023 Some talks focused on marine mammals, some on under-sea-ice sampling but the majority were about shorebirds. Alena Naiden, Anchorage Daily News, 28 July 2023 As waters receded, the remains of coral, oysters, sea turtles, walrus and shorebirds were left behind to view today as fossils. Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2024 Located about 45 minutes north of Sacramento, the area is home to one of the largest populations of overwintering tundra swans in the Central Valley, as well as an abundance of other avians — including geese, ducks, raptors and shorebirds. Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 9 Nov. 2023 Only a little bigger than a robin, these bird’s are related to other shorebirds like the Wilson’s snipe. Matthew Every, Field & Stream, 18 Oct. 2023 Overview The woodcock is a shorebird without a shore. Matthew Every, Field & Stream, 18 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shorebird.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1672, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shorebird was circa 1672

Dictionary Entries Near shorebird

Cite this Entry

“Shorebird.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shorebird. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

shorebird

noun
shore·​bird ˈshō(ə)r-ˌbərd How to pronounce shorebird (audio)
ˈshȯ(ə)r-
: any of a group of birds (as a plover or sandpiper) that frequent the seashore
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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