Taxonomy
This large family is often further subdivided into groups of similar birds. These groups do not necessarily consist of a single genus, but as presented here they do form distinct monophyletic evolutionary lineages. The groups, with species numbers in parentheses, are:
- Curlews
- Genus Numenius (8 species, of which 1–2 recently extinct)
- Upland Sandpiper
- Genus Bartramia (monotypic)
- Godwits
- Genus Limosa (4 species)
- Dowitchers
- Genus Limnodromus (3 species)
- Snipe and woodcocks
- Genera Coenocorypha, Lymnocryptes, Gallinago and Scolopax (nearly 30 species, plus some 6 extinct)
- Phalaropes
- Genus Phalaropus (3 species)
- Shanks and tattlers
- Genera Xenus, Actitis, and Tringa which now includes Catoptrophorus and Heteroscelus (16 species)
- Polynesian sandpipers
- Genus Prosobonia (1 extant species, 3–5 extinct)
- Calidrids and turnstones
- Roughly 25 species, mostly in Calidris which might be split up into several genera. Other genera currently accepted are Aphriza, Eurynorhynchus, Limicola, Tryngites, and Philomachus, in addition to the 2 Arenaria turnstones.
Read more about this topic: Sandpiper