gruiformes

from The Century Dictionary.

• A superfamily or suborder of Alectorides, containing the gruiform as distinguished from the ralliform birds, or the schizognathous, schizorhinal, præcocial, grallatorial birds: corresponding to the Geranomorphæ in a strict sense, and contrasted with Ralliformes.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

• noun An order of inland marsh-dwelling birds with long legs and necks and bills that wade in water in search of food, including cranes, rails, and bustards.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• noun inland marsh-dwelling birds with long legs and necks and bills that wade in water in search of food: cranes; rails; bustards