Willet
Tringa semipalmata
The Willet (Tringa semipalmata) is a common sandpiper found in 53 countries, weighing about 246 g. The willet is a large shorebird in the family Scolopacidae.
About the Willet
The willet is a large shorebird in the family Scolopacidae. It is a relatively large and robust sandpiper and is the largest of the species called "shanks" in the genus Tringa. Its closest relative is the lesser yellowlegs, a much smaller bird with a very different appearance apart from the fine, clear, and dense pattern of the neck, which both species show in breeding plumage. It breeds in North America and the West Indies and winters in southern North America, Central America, the West Indies and South America.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The willet is a particularly elegant and heavily built shorebird with a structure similar to that of the common redshank but being larger in size than the greater yellowlegs while resembling a godwit in flight with black primary coverts and primaries contrasting with a broad white band, white secondaries with a white rump and gray tail band. With its reclassification into the Tringa genus, it stands as the largest species in this prominent sandpiper genus. It is 31–41 cm (12–16 in) in overall length and weighs 200–330 g (7.1–11.6 oz). Voice: The willet's name is onomatopoeic and refers to its loud piercing "pill-will-willet" territorial song., which is higher pitched and repeated at a faster rate in Eastern willets than in Western birds.
What the Willet sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Portugal, Uruguay, St. Barthélemy, France.
When to see it
The Willet can be seen all year round, with peak activity in May. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Willet?
- The willet is a particularly elegant and heavily built shorebird with a structure similar to that of the common redshank but being larger in size than the greater yellowlegs while resembling a godwit in flight with black primary coverts and primaries contrasting with a broad white band, white secondaries with a white rump and gray tail band. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Willet?
- The Willet is a medium sized bird weighing about 246 g.
- Where can you see a Willet?
- The Willet occurs in 53 countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama.
- What does a Willet sound like?
- You can listen to a field recording of the Willet on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Willet?
- The Willet is most easily confused with the Common Redshank, the Lesser Yellowlegs and the Common Greenshank.
- Is the Willet endangered?
- The Willet is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Willet for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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