Definition

Proper noun (used with a singular or plural verb): * A family of wading birds comprising the oystercatchers. These are stout-bodied birds with long, laterally flattened, bright orange or red bills, adapted for prying open or smashing the shells of mollusks. They are typically found in coastal environments worldwide.

Usage Notes

• Capitalization: "Haematopodidae" is always capitalized as it is a proper noun denoting a taxonomic family name.
• Verb Agreement: It can be used with a singular verb when referring to the family as a single taxonomic unit (e.g., "Haematopodidae is a family...") or with a plural verb when emphasizing the individual member species (e.g., "Haematopodidae are coastal birds...").
• Context: This term is primarily used in scientific, ornithological, and academic contexts. In general conversation, the common name "oystercatchers" is far more frequent.

Examples

• The bird guide explained that the Haematopodidae are easily identified by their loud calls and striking black-and-white plumage.
• Taxonomic classification places the Eurasian oystercatcher within the family Haematopodidae.
• Haematopodidae is a small family, containing only a single genus, .

Advanced Usage

• In Taxonomic Hierarchy: The term is used to specify a rank in biological classification (Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Chordata, Class: Aves, Order: Charadriiformes, Family: Haematopodidae).
• In Evolutionary Biology: Discussions on the evolutionary relationships of shorebirds often reference the family Haematopodidae.

Variants and Related Words

• Haematopus (Proper noun): The only genus within the family Haematopodidae, comprising all oystercatcher species.
• oystercatcher (Noun): The common name for any bird belonging to the family Haematopodidae.
• Charadriiformes (Proper noun): The larger order of birds that includes the family Haematopodidae, along with plovers, gulls, and auks.

Synonyms

• oystercatchers (Noun): The common name for the birds constituting the family Haematopodidae.

Different Meanings

This word has only one specific meaning in modern English: it refers exclusively to the taxonomic family of oystercatchers. It does not have idiomatic or figurative uses.

Noun

1. oystercatchers