Willet

Non-breeding (winter) plumage is plain greyish-brown above and whitish below, making them look rather nondescript on beaches. Breeding plumage shows heavy dark barring and spotting on a buff-gray background. In flight, they reveal a striking, unmistakable bold white wing stripe bordered in black.

Stout dark bill, bulky greyish body, long dark legs, and in flight, the brilliant black-and-white wing pattern.

Length: 33-41 cm (13-16 in), Wingspan: 70-78 cm (28-31 in), Weight: 200-330 g

A loud, ringing, repetitive pill-will-willet or kear-kee-kee call, especially noisy when defending territory or disturbed.

Invertebrates including insects, crabs, marine worms, mollusks, and small fish; sometimes feeds on seeds and plant matter during migration.

Coastal mudflats, sandy beaches, saltmarshes, estuaries, and inland freshwater wetlands or wet prairies during the breeding season.

Migratory, traveling in flocks from northern breeding grounds to southern coastal wintering areas.

Nests on the ground in a shallow scrape hidden in tall grass or vegetation near water. Clutch size is typically 4 eggs. Both parents incubate and fiercely defend the nest.

Greater Yellowlegs and Godwits. Willets can be distinguished by their stockier build, thicker and straighter bill, dark grey legs (not bright yellow), and the bold white wing stripe in flight.

As predators of aquatic invertebrates and crabs, Willets play an important role in regulating prey populations and serve as bioindicators of coastal wetland health.

IUCN Least Concern, with stable populations though locally impacted by coastal development and habitat loss.

Look for them actively probing in wet sand or mud along the shoreline. They are easily alerted and will often give a loud, piping alarm call while flashing their distinctive wings.

Willets are fiercely defensive parents and will actively mob potential predators, including hawks and humans, while vocalizing loudly near their nesting territories.