Willet: All About This Bird’s Identification, Behavior, Habitat, and More (2024)

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Get to know the willet—a large wading bird found along the coasts of the Americas.

This guide covers all the bases, from identification and behavior to habitat and conservation.

You’ll learn about the willet’s distinctive features, feeding habits, migration patterns, and more.

Willet Identification

When identifying a willet, look out for its distinctive features, including its large size, chunky shape, subdued plumage, and long thick bill. You can also spot them by their bold black and white wing markings when in flight, their distinctive "pill-will-willet" call, and their habitat, which includes beaches, mudflats, and rocky shores.

Distinctive Features

Willets have a distinctive appearance with their chunky shape, long legs, thick bill, and black, gray, and white colors. Here are three key features to help you identify this shorebird:

1. Size: About the size of a crow, Willets are one of the largest common shorebirds.
2. Wings: Broad and rounded with bold markings.
3. Markings: Subdued plumage, with a mix of patterns.

Wing Markings

Willets have bold black and white stripes on their wings, which are visible during flight and can be used for identification.

Call

Willets have a distinctive call, "pill-will-willet," with quieter "kuk-kuk-kuk-kuk-kuk" sounds. Their calls vary, and humans can’t distinguish them, but the birds can.

Size

The Willet is a large shorebird, about the size of a crow. Its long, thick bill and chunky shape make it stand out among other sandpipers.

Habitat

Willets are versatile birds, adapting to a range of habitats throughout the year. Their habitat includes:

1. Coastal areas: Open beaches, marshes, mudflats, and rocky shores.
2. Breeding grounds: Grasslands, marshes, and wetlands.
3. Winter range: Coastal regions.
4. Feeding grounds: Wetlands, mudflats, and beaches.

Subspecies Variations

The Willet has two recognized subspecies: the Eastern Willet and the Western Willet. These subspecies show some distinct differences in their plumage and distribution.

Subspecies	Plumage Differences	Distribution
Eastern Willet	Stouter bills, more barring on chest and back	Saltmarshes, barrier islands, and beaches for breeding
Western Willet	Larger, paler gray	Near marshes, wetlands, and wet fields for breeding

Willet Behavior

Willets are active hunters, feeding on a variety of prey both during the day and at night. They’re known to breed and nest in pairs, with males taking on the role of defending their territory and incubating eggs at night.

Feeding

Willets are opportunistic feeders, adapting their diet to available resources and location. Their diet includes:

1. Aquatic beetles, fish, and spiders
2. Small crabs, worms, clams, and other invertebrates
3. Fiddler and mole crabs

Day and Night Feeding

Willets are opportunistic feeders, adjusting their feeding schedule to prey availability. They feed on a variety of prey, from insects to small fish, depending on the time of day and tide patterns.

Time	Prey
Day	Insects, crustaceans, marine worms
Night	Small fish, crabs, clams
High/Low Tide	Tide pools, sandy beaches

Breeding

During the breeding season, both male and female willets incubate their eggs. However, only the male willet sits on the nest at night.

Nesting Behavior

Willets often nest in colonies, with the male leading the female to the chosen spot. The nest is a small depression on the ground, often near water. This ground nest is lined with grass and pebbles, measuring about 6 inches across and 2 inches deep.

Species	Nest Location
Western Willets	Inland near ponds and wetlands
Eastern Willets	In grasses near saltmarshes or on sand dunes

Migration Patterns

Willets migrate to warmer climates for the winter, following specific routes and often returning to the same areas annually. Their wintering range spans the coasts of the southeastern United States, Mexico, and Central America.

Willet Conservation

Willet conservation efforts are essential to ensuring the bird’s long-term survival. While the Willet population recovered after the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act banned market hunting, they now face new threats, including habitat loss and degradation.

Historical Decline

Willets were once widely hunted for food, leading to a population decline. Banning market hunting through the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in 1918 helped their recovery. Today, they face threats like habitat loss and coastal development, impacting their future.

• Hunting
• Impact
• Threats

Migratory Bird Treaty Act

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act, enacted in 1918, banned market hunting, aiding the Willet’s recovery from historical hunting pressures. This legal protection is a key step in wildlife conservation, ensuring the Willet’s survival for future generations.

Current Status

Willets are common shorebirds, but populations are declining in certain areas. Despite this, they’re considered a species of "least concern.

Threats

Willet conservation faces challenges from habitat loss due to agricultural development and coastal energy projects, as well as the impacts of climate change. Populations are declining, and the future outlook is uncertain.

Conservation Efforts

Conservation efforts are important to protect Willets from threats like habitat loss. Organizations like the Cornell Lab of Ornithology work tirelessly to make sure their habitats are preserved, ensuring a brighter future for these magnificent birds.

Willet Habitat and Range

Willets are adaptable birds that can be found in a variety of habitats throughout the year. From coastlines to inland areas, their range is quite dynamic, with some interesting seasonal variations to explore.

Year-round Range

Willets are resilient birds, but they face challenges due to habitat loss and degradation. You can find them year-round in these coastal regions:

• Northwest United States
• Southern Canada
• Coastal regions with rocky coasts and mud flats

Breeding Range

Willets breed in the northern Great Plains and the interior of the northwest. Their breeding range includes coastal areas, marshes, and grasslands. During the breeding season, they seek specific nest sites, with Western Willets opting for areas near marshes and wetlands, and Eastern Willets favoring saltmarshes and barrier islands.

Location	Breeding Range	Nest Sites
Northern Great Plains	Marshes	Grasslands
Interior Northwest	Coastal Areas	Marshes, Wetlands
Eastern Coast	Barrier Islands	Saltmarshes

Migration

Willets migrate to warmer climates in winter, following specific routes and often returning to the same areas each year. They head to the coasts of the southeastern US, Mexico, and Central America.

Wintering Range

During winter, Willets migrate to coastal areas in the southeastern United States, Mexico, and Central America, showcasing their adaptability and range as birds of the world.

Willet Diet and Foraging

Willets are opportunistic eaters, adjusting their diet based on what’s available and where they are. The Western Willet, for instance, enjoys freshwater fish and spiders, while the Eastern Willet prefers crabs, clams, and other small invertebrates from saltwater habitats.

Opportunistic Feeders

Willets are opportunistic feeders, adapting their diet based on available resources and location. Their diet includes a variety of prey, showcasing their adaptability as feeders.

1. Insects
2. Crustaceans
3. Marine Worms
4. Aquatic Insects

Western Willet Diet

The Western Willet’s diet varies with the seasons and their location. During the winter, they feed on small crabs, worms, and clams from saltwater sources. In freshwater habitats, they eat aquatic beetles, fish, and spiders.

Western Willet Diet	Food Sources
Winter	Small crabs, worms, clams
Freshwater	Aquatic beetles, fish, spiders

Eastern Willet Diet

Eastern Willets prefer a saltwater diet of small crabs, worms, clams, and other invertebrates.

Feeding Methods

Willets are versatile foragers, adapting their diet to available food sources. They feed during the day and night, taking prey from the surface, wading in shallow waters, or probing in mudflats and beaches.

Probing

Willets use their long, sensitive bills to probe for prey in mudflats and on beaches.

Wading

Willets are wading birds, often spotted in shallow waters. They wade to feed on small crabs, worms, and clams.

Surface Feeding

Willets are surface feeders, taking prey from the water or mud. They also wade in shallow waters.

Willet Nesting and Breeding

Willets are pretty picky when it comes to nesting. They carefully select their nest sites, with the male often taking the lead in choosing the perfect spot. Nests are typically built inland, near water sources like pond edges or raised sites, or along the coast in cordgrass and beachgrass. The nest itself is a small, cozy depression in the ground, lined with finer grasses and pebbles, creating a comfortable home for their eggs.

Willets are committed partners, often staying together for several years and returning to the same nesting sites. They fiercely defend their territories, with males making their presence known through loud challenges to neighbors. Both parents play an active role in incubating their eggs and teaching their young how to feed, ensuring the next generation of Willets has the best chance at survival.

Nest Site Selection

Willets are picky about where they build their nests. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Location Choice: Willets typically breed in coastal areas, marshes, grasslands, and near wetlands.
2. Habitat Needs: Western Willets prefer nesting near ponds and wetlands, while Eastern Willets seek out saltmarshes and barrier islands.
3. Breeding Grounds: Both subspecies of Willets return to the same breeding grounds each year, often nesting in colonies.
4. Nesting Success: Picking the right nest site is key to hatching and raising chicks.

Nest Construction

Once a pair of Willets has selected a suitable nesting site, they set about constructing their nest. Western Willets tend to nest inland, choosing spots along pond edges, other seasonal wetlands, or raised sites near water. On the other hand, Eastern Willets favor nesting in cordgrass, saltgrass, and beachgrass habitats near salt marshes, as well as on sand dunes.

Nest Structure

The nest structure of Willets is a small depression, typically just over 6 inches across and 2 inches deep. Here are the key details about their nest structure:

1. Nest Materials: Willets use finer grasses and pebbles to line their nests, creating a comfortable and protective layer.
2. Nest Location: Western Willets prefer nesting near water, either along pond edges or on raised sites nearby. Eastern Willets choose cordgrass, saltgrass, or beachgrass habitats near salt marshes or sand dunes.
3. Nest Lining: The lining adds a soft and insulating layer to the nest, essential for incubating eggs.
4. Nest Size and Shape: Willet nests are shallow depressions, ensuring a low profile that helps camouflage the nest and protect it from potential predators.

Pair Bonding

Willets are loyal birds, often staying with the same partner for several years and returning to their original nest sites.

Territorial Defense

Willet males are fiercely territorial, defending their nesting and feeding grounds with aggression. They challenge neighbors by performing a ritualized walk along territorial boundaries.

Parental Care

Willet parents share responsibilities, incubating eggs, building nests, and teaching chicks to feed and grow. Only males sit on nests at night.

Willet Interesting Facts and Trivia

Beyond their distinctive features and behaviors, there are some intriguing facts about Willets that are worth noting. From their names in other languages to their longevity and historical accounts, these birds have a few surprises up their wings.

Spanish Name

The Spanish name for the Willet is "Playero Aliblanco.

French Name

The French name for the Willet is "Chevalier semipalmé." Unfortunately, I don’t have any information on the pronunciation, origin, meaning, or usage of this name.

Oldest Recorded Willet

The oldest recorded Willet was a female bird, banded in Oregon, who lived to be at least 10 years and 3 months old. This record highlights the longevity of these birds and the importance of banding for studying their life spans.

Audubon’s Account

John James Audubon, in his "Birds of America" accounts, noted that Willet eggs and young were edible.

Subspecies Calls

Although humans can’t easily distinguish between the calls of different Willet subspecies, the birds themselves can.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)