How did Charadriiformes evolve from early bird ancestors?

Charadriiformes are believed to have diverged from the ancestors of modern gruiform birds, likely during the late Cretaceous Period. While their exact evolutionary lineage is a subject of ongoing study, they are considered related to both the Gruiformes and Columbiformes orders.12

The group is well-represented in the fossil record from the Paleogene and Neogene periods. Evidence suggests that modern families likely originated in the Paleocene or earlier, with many modern genera established by the Oligocene and Miocene epochs. By the Pleistocene Epoch, many modern species had emerged, with their distribution and differentiation often influenced by isolation during periods of glaciation.1

Throughout their evolution, these birds have demonstrated significant adaptive flexibility, particularly in their feeding mechanisms and physical forms, which allowed them to diversify into the various groups of waders, gulls, and auks seen today.1