Willet

Willet (Tringa semipalmata) is in the Sandpipers and Allies family (Scolopacidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 62,915 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.

Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.

When to photograph Willet: observations by month (U.S.)

About Willet

The willet (Tringa semipalmata), formerly in the monotypic genus Catoptrophorus as Catoptrophorus semipalmatus, 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....From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Willet by state

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related birds (Sandpipers and Allies)

SanderlingCalidris alba

Least SandpiperCalidris minutilla

Spotted SandpiperActitis macularius

Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleuca

Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpres

Marbled GodwitLimosa fedoa

Long-billed CurlewNumenius americanus

Hudsonian WhimbrelNumenius hudsonicus

Photography tips

• Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
• Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
• Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
• Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.

FAQ