Photo: Andrea Westmoreland from DeLand, United States / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Willet
Tringa semipalmata
Willet (Tringa semipalmata) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Willet (Tringa semipalmata) is a member of the Scolopacidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 246 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Scolopacidae Sandpipers, Snipes
- Genus Tringa
- Species semipalmata
Where it lives
Temperate zone prairie wetlands and coastal saltmarshes of west-central, eastern, southeastern Canada and USA: inland central Alberta to southwestern Manitoba, south to northeastern California and northern Nebraska; coastal Newfoundland to Florida and Gulf of Mexico south to Tamaulipas; Bahamas, most Greater Antilles, scattered islands elsewhere in Caribbean including Los Roques (north of Venezuela)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 246 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Scolopacidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Willet hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of coastal habitats, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Willet is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Willet (Tringa semipalmata) is a species of sandpipers, snipes in the family Scolopacidae, order Charadriiformes. It is found in North America — temperate zone prairie wetlands and coastal saltmarshes of wc, e, se Canada and USA: inland c Alberta to sw Manitoba, s to ne California and n Nebraska; coastal Newfoundland to Florida and Gulf of Mexico s to Tamaulipas; Bahamas, most Greater Antilles, scattered islands elsewhere in Caribbean including Los Roques (n of Venezuela).
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Willet?
The Willet is a large bird that weighs around 246 g.
Where does the Willet live?
The Willet is found across North America with a range covering NA temperate zone prairie wetlands and coastal saltmarshes of wc, e, se Canada and USA: inland c Alberta to sw Manitoba, s to ne California and n Nebraska; coastal Newfoundland to Florida and Gulf of Mexico s to Tamaulipas; Bahamas, most Greater Antilles, scattered islands elsewhere in Caribbean including Los Roques (n of Venezuela), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Willet belong to?
The Willet (Tringa semipalmata) belongs to the Scolopacidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Willet eat?
The Willet hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Willet migrate?
The Willet is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Willet endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Willet make?
1 real field recording of the Willet — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Willet's range?
The Willet has a mapped global range of about 2.5 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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