The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. Two species have been recorded in Iowa. 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. Six species have been recorded in Iowa. 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. Different lengths of legs and bills enable multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. Thirty-four species have been recorded in Iowa. Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Stercorariidae  Skuas and jaegers are related to gulls, shorebirds, auks, and skimmers. In the three smaller species (all Holarctic), breeding adults have the two central tail feathers obviously elongated and at least some adults have white on the underparts and pale yellow on the neck, characteristics that the larger species do not share. Three species have been recorded in Iowa. Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Alcidae  Alcids are superficially similar to penguins due to their black-and-white colors, their upright posture, and some of their habits, however they are only distantly related to the penguins and are able to fly. Auks live on the open sea, only deliberately coming ashore to nest. This family also includes murres and puffins. Three species have been recorded in Iowa. Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae  Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds and includes gulls, terns, kittiwakes, and skimmers. They are typically gray or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. Twenty-seven species have been recorded in Iowa. Order: GaviiformesFamily: Gaviidae  Loons are aquatic birds the size of a large duck, to which they are unrelated.