Animal Corner

Discover the many amazing animals that live on our planet.

  • Home
  • A-Z Animals
  • Anatomy
  • Glossary
  • Animal Lists
    • Animal By Letter
    • Animals by Location
    • Mammals
    • Birds
    • Reptiles
    • Amphibians
  • Free Resources
    • Animal Coloring Pages
    • Animal Jokes
    • Animal Quizzes
  • Pets
    • Dog Breeds
    • Rabbit Breeds
    • Cat Breeds
    • Pet Rodents
    • Animal Care
  • Blog
You are here: Home / Animals / Galapagos Willet Bird

Galapagos Willet Bird

Image Source

The Willet (Tringa semipalmata) is a large shorebird in the sandpiper family. The Willet bird is a rarity in the Galapagos, however when sighted it presents a much paler plumage than those on other latitudes. The Willets tail is white with a dark band at the end. It has a grey/brown back and head, pale under sides and neck. Their legs are black and they have a long heavy black beak.

In flight, the Willet shows black and white wing patterns on both, upper parts and under sides of wings. The distinctive black and white pattern of the wings is a common sight along many coastal beaches. The Willet is a well-sized and stout shore bird.

Willets can grow to be around 33 – 41 centimetres (13 – 16 inches) in length. They have a wingspan of 70 centimetres (28 inches) and weigh 200 – 330 grams (7.06 – 11.65 ounces). Both male and female Willets look alike, however, the female is slightly larger than the male.

The Willets Call is a loud, ringing ‘pill-will-willet’ sound.

Willet Bird

The Willets 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. Willets nest on the ground, usually in well-hidden locations in short grass, often in colonies.

Willets forage on mudflats or in shallow water, probing or picking up food by sight. They mainly eat insects, crustaceans and marine worms, but also eat some plant material.

The willets population declined sharply due to hunting in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Their population has since increased, however, they are still considered at risk, especially in light of continued habitat loss.

More Fascinating Animals to Learn About

  • Galapagos Lava Gull Bird
  • Galapagos Rail Bird
  • Galapagos Flycatcher Bird
    Galapagos Flycatcher Bird
  • Galapagos Masked Booby Bird
  • Galapagos Yellow Warbler Bird
  • Galapagos Black Tipped Shark

About Joanne Spencer

I've always been passionate about animals which led me to a career in training and behaviour. As an animal professional I'm committed to improving relationships between people and animals to bring them more happiness.

Animal Classification

Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Charadriiformes
Family:Scolopacidae
Genus:Tringa
Species:T. semipalmata
Binomial name:Tringa semipalmata

Search

Most Popular Animals

  • Zebras
  • Aquatic Warbler
  • Atlantic Dolphins
  • Trapdoor Spider
  • Giraffe
  • Meerkats
  • Timber Wolf
  • Praying Mantis
  • Huntsman Spider
  • Vampire Bat

Galapagos Islands

galapagos-islands

Animal Names Glossary

Animal Names

British Wildlife

british-wildlife

Mammals

anatomy

Dog Breeds

dog breeds

Farm Animals

Farm Animals

Best of the Blog

  • 21 Amazing Animals that live in Lakes
  • What are the Fastest Animals in the World?
  • 31 Animals with Weird and Funny Sounding Names
  • Top 15 Deadliest Animals in the World
  • Ophiophagy – Examples of animals that eat snakes
  • List of Fascinating Solitary Animals

Copyright © 2005-2022 · Animal Corner · All Rights Reserved · Affiliate Disclaimer · Privacy Policy · Animals Sitemap . About Us

AnimalCorner.org is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.