# Willet (*Tringa semipalmata*) The Willet is a tall, wading bird that loves to be near the water. With its long legs and long beak, it searches for tasty snacks like crabs and worms in the sand. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 41 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Willet](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Catoptrophorus_semipalmatus_edit.jpg&width=800) Photo: Original photo by Mdf . Cropping and brightness adjustment by Pharaoh Hound at en.wikipedia, CC BY 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Catoptrophorus_semipalmatus_edit.jpg) ## Appearance The Willet is a large, grayish shorebird with long bluish-gray legs and a straight, thick bill. Its most striking feature, seen in flight, is a broad white stripe bordered by black on its wings. This pattern makes them visually distinct from other plain gray shorebirds. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Scolopacidae - **Genus:** Tringa ## Interesting facts - The Willet's loud call sounds so much like "pill-will-willet" that it's how they got their name! - There are two types of Willets, Eastern and Western, and they even sound a little different! - These clever birds often build nests in tall grass, making it super hard for predators to find their eggs. - Willet chicks can leave the nest and find their own food almost immediately after hatching! ## Special abilities - **Flashy Flight:** Willet has striking black-and-white wings that flash brightly, which helps them signal to other Willets or startle predators. - **Master Mimic:** Willet can fake a broken wing display to lure predators away from its nest, protecting its precious eggs and chicks. - **Vocal Watcher:** Willet makes a loud, distinctive "pill-will-willet" call that helps them warn other birds of danger or intruders. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 33-41 cm - **Wingspan:** 66-79 cm - **Weight:** 0.2-0.36 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 55 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-5 - **Incubation:** 22-29 days - **Migration Distance:** 4000 km ## Diet & Feeding Willets use their long bills to probe for tasty invertebrates and small fish in watery areas. - **Primary Foods:** Crabs, Marine worms, Small fish, Insects, Mollusks - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Peregrine Falcon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peregrine-falcon) (*Falco peregrinus*) — Adult Willets can be swift prey for this speedy raptor. - **Eats:** [American Herring Gull](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-herring-gull) (*Larus smithsonianus*) — These gulls sometimes eat the eggs or chicks of Willets. - **Eaten by:** Atlantic Fiddler Crab (*Uca pugnax*) — Willet's long bill is perfect for catching these crabs in the mud. - **Eaten by:** Clam Worm (*Nereis succinea*) — Willet probes soft mud to find and eat these marine worms. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Willet? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Willet? 33-41 cm ### What is Willet's wingspan? 66-79 cm ### How much does Willet weigh? 0.2-0.36 kg ### How long does Willet live? 5-10 years ### How fast can Willet move? 55 km/h ### What does Willet eat? Willets use their long bills to probe for tasty invertebrates and small fish in watery areas. ### Where is Willet usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Blake Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blake-garden) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bolsa-chica-ecological-reserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Cape Lookout Coast Guard Station](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cape-lookout-coast-guard-station) — US · Historic Site - [Clayton Public Schools Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/clayton-public-schools-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [Kennebunkport Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kennebunkport-historic-district) — Maine, US · Historic District - [Old Lyme Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/old-lyme-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District [View all places to see Willet](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/willet) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Willet: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/willet)