The Family Recurvirostridae includes wading birds such as stilts and avocets, found in shallow wetlands, estuaries, and coastal areas worldwide. These birds are characterized by long, slender legs for wading and long, often upturned or thin bills adapted for probing mud and shallow water for invertebrates. Most species are highly social, forming large flocks, and display distinctive black-and-white or patterned plumage. They feed primarily on insects, crustaceans, and other small aquatic animals, and their elegant foraging behavior and striking appearance make them prominent members of wetland ecosystems.