Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers. Order: GruiformesFamily: Heliornithidae  Heliornithidae is a small family of tropical birds with webbed lobes on their feet similar to those of grebes and coots. Order: GruiformesFamily: Aramidae  The limpkin resembles a large rail. It has drab-brown plumage and a grayer head and neck. Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae  Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae  The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs. Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae  The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short thick necks, and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water. Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Jacanidae  The jacanas are a family of waders which are found throughout the tropics. They are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat. Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers, and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length of legs and bills enables multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Stercorariidae  The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large birds, typically with gray or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings.