Ah yes by writing “not all birds in the group actually wade or frequent shorelines” then you are presumably taking a taxonomic use of the word, as in members of specific bird families. Not that there is anything wrong with that, if that is the understood intent. Maybe the intent of the word is functional, as in those birds that wade along shorelines are the ones referred to. If that is the intent, then maybe taxonomic considerations do not apply. I think to most experienced birdos it is a combination of both aspects.
Just another one of the things where there probably is no consistent available single answer.
Philip
