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Why do many Charadriiformes have webbed feet?

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Illustration of a crab plover (Dromas ardeola), showing a slender wading bird with long legs, a long pointed black bill, white head and underparts, and contrasting black wings and back. — Charadriiform Crab plover (Dromas ardeola)

Many members of the order Charadriiformes possess webbed feet as an evolutionary adaptation for their specific environments and lifestyles, particularly those that spend significant time in or on the water.1

Within the suborder Lari, which includes gulls, terns, skimmers, skuas, and jaegers, webbed feet facilitate swimming and resting on the water's surface. Similarly, the suborder Alcae—comprising auks, murres, guillemots, and puffins—features webbed feet as part of a suite of adaptations, including a compact, streamlined body, that allow these marine birds to swim effectively both on the ocean surface and underwater.12

While many other charadriiforms, such as the shorebirds in the suborder Charadrii, are primarily adapted for walking or wading in open areas and along shorelines, the presence of webbing in the Lari and Alcae groups is directly linked to their reliance on aquatic habitats for locomotion and foraging.12