Willet--Catoptrophorus semipalmatus

Willet stretching and showing its flashy wing pattern.

Willets are large sandpipers. Like hawks, the female Willets are larger than the males. The Willet is gray in the winter and has dark barring in Spring. Juveniles are brownish with barring. It has a long, straight, dark bill. They can be described as nondescript. BirdWeb calls it "drab." However, two things about the Willet stand out. Its bold black-and-white wing patterns, and its loud call. It often flies away as it calls and people wonder "What kind of bird is that?!" Then it lands and fades into the background again. I really enjoy Willets. They are methodical in their feeding habits and it is fun to watch them in the pickleweed, in the mud, and on the beaches.

Willet wading in the water

They don't just walk on the mud, sand and pickleweed. They wade right in sometimes. Here is a gray Willet in winter plumage up to his wings in water.

Spring Willet checking out the aquatic snails.

Although Willets mainly eat aquatic invertebrates, they sometimes snag a few fish. They sometimes "plough their bills" through the water to catch small fish. They can be seen eating the little aquatic snails that litter the mudflats.

Willets and Marbled Godwits honker down in the pickleweed on a Breezy day at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.

It is not unusual for Willets to hang out with other shore birds or terns and gulls. Willets, Marbled Godwits, American Avocets, and sometimes Black Skimmers can often be seen together at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve and Upper Newport Bay.

Willet in one of its favorite places to forage: Pickleweed.


In addition to the beach, the pickleweed is the favorite place to hang out for Willets.

Willet on the Bolsa Chica Footbridge from OC Birder Girl on Vimeo.

This little Willet stayed on the footbridge railing for some time, but got skittish when a group started across the bridge. You can also hear the pigeons under the footbridge.

Willets migrate along the California Coast. They also remain here all year. Willets are listed as abundant at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Fall, Winter, and Spring. They drop in summer to common. From what I have read--other than isolated instances, Willets do not breed at Bolsa Chica or in Orange County or California, but many non-breeding individuals stay in Orange County year-round. If you have a resource that says anything different, please let me know.

Willet on the shore at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Western Willets breed inland. Their nests are hidden in the grass. The fathers play a prominent role, watching over the chicks until they are independent.

Willet getting into deeper water.


When you are out birding in the wetlands or at the beach, look for the nondescript gray bird with the bold wing pattern. Willets make the wetlands fun with their loud call and sudden flying. Once they start calling and flying, you can't miss them. There is nothing like seeing a group of them take off on a flight from one area to another. The reason is often apparent if you look up in the sky. You may see a Northern Harrier flying above.

Autumn colors in the pickleweed. A Willet forages at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.

Willet Foraging by the Bolsa Chica Bridge from OC Birder Girl on Vimeo.

Willet by the Bridge II from OC Birder Girl on Vimeo.

Willet by the Bridge III from OC Birder Girl on Vimeo.

OC Birder Girl Links



Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve



San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary



Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve aka Newport Back Bay



A Walk at Bolsa Chica



A Windy Walk at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary



Black-necked Stilt--Himantopus mexicanus


Killdeer--Charadrius vociferus

Foraging Spring Willet.

Up close and personal.

External Links and Resources

All About Birds: Willet

Detailed page on Willets.

Animal Diversity Web: Willet Pictures

Good shots of Willets in flight.

Birder's World: Willet

Great shot of a Willet in flight over Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. It appears to be carrying one of the many snails that live at and feed the birds at the Reserve.

BirdWeb: Willet

Good article form Seattle Audubon.

Identification of Willets (Tringa semipalmata)by Cin-Ty Lee

Natura-Aviflora's Cin-Ty Lee's terrific article on differentiating Eastern and Western Willets. Since Lee is a Texas birder, he gets to see both these birds and has some good pointers.

Raising a ruckus. He flew soon after.

Featured Photo: A Leucistic Willet in California

From the Sora archives. Note that no photo is included in the archived edition.

Nesting of the Western Willet in California

Short 1919 article about isolated nesting of Western Willets in Lassen County, California.

Southern Carolina Wildlife: Willet

Nice magazine article.

USGS: Willet

Short, but helpful article.

USGS: The Effects of Management Practices on Grassland Birds: Willets

Detailed study of grasslands and Willets. Good Bibliography.

VOCALIZATIONS AND BEHAVIOR OF THE WILLET

Very detailed examination of the Willet's vocalization.

WHEN DOES THE WILLET 'PLOUGH' THE WATER TO CATCH FISH?

Short article listed in Sora archive.

Which Willet?

Good article from Ocean Wanderers on differentiating the Eastern and Western Willet.

Nature Works: Willet - Catoptrophorus semipalmatus

Nice article with good information and photos.

Willets in Flight

Post from the blog 1,000 birds. By a birder named Charlie Moores. Great shots and great details regarding identification of Willets in flight.

Willet checking out the water.

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Marbled Godwit--Limosa fedoa

Marbled Godwit at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

The things that I really like about the Marbled Godwit are its two-toned pink, black tipped bill, and the intricate brown-and-white pattern on its body. It's a very interesting looking bird. It winters on here and come breeding season heads to the center of the United States and Canada to breed in grasslands and prairies.

Marbled Godwit at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.


There is a whole program called Godwits on the Go that tracks the Marbled Godwit to see where it is spending its time. There is lots of concern about the Marbled Godwit with both loss of wintering and breeding habitat. It is hoped that by tracking them that information will be found that will help us ensure that Marbled Godwits survive and thrive in the Americas.


Marbled Godwit at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.


The Marbled Godwit is one of many shorebirds, but its pink-and-black bill set it apart from rest. With its pretty, just slightly upturned bill, it eats many squiggly and squishy things like worms, aquatic insects, crustaceans, and other things it finds in the grass, mud or wet beach sand. In addition to seeing them at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, you will see Marbled Godwits across the street at Bolsa Chica Beach and other Orange County Beaches.




Marbled Godwit in the wet marsh vegetation at Bolsa Chica.

Although the sexes look almost the same, the female Marbled Godwit is larger than the male. The intricate pattern on the back resembles several other shore birds, but none has the black tipped pink bill of the Marbled Godwit.

Marbled Godwit concentrating on the buffet at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.

You can find Marbled Godwits in shallow water, mud, in grass, or on the beach. Next time you are birding, look for a Marbled Godwit and watch it probe the mud or sand with its sturdy bill looking for squiggly, squishy treats.

Marbled Godwit at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.

Marbled Godwit at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.

Links

All About Birds from Cornell: Marbled Godwit -- Limosa fedoa

Detailed information includes "Cool Facts," description, similar species discussion, sound recording, range map, habitat, reproduction, conservation status and more.

Audubon Society Waterbirds: Marbled GodwitLimosa fedoa

Detailed profile of the Marbled Godwit.

Audubon Watchlist: Marbled Godwit -- limosa fedoa

Conservation information including identification details, distribution and population trends, ecology, threats, and more.

BirdWeb: Marbled Godwit

Detailed profile, recordings, and photos.

Effects of Management Practices on Grassland Birds: Marbled Godwit

USGS North Prairie Wildlife Research Center's article with lots of information on the importance of grasslands to the Marbled Godwit.



Godwit Days

Festival about Godwits and other birds in Humboldt County.

Godwits on the Go: Using Satellite Technology to Track Migrating Marbled Godwits

USGS Fort Collins Colorado Science Center in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) tracks Marbled Godwits. They are concerned about their well-being due to loss of habitat. Read about the program and why they track Marbled Godwits, why they care where they go, check the progress of certain Marbled Godwits, and read the FAQs. Very interesting article and project.

Montana Animal Field Guide: Marbled Godwit
Good article about the Marbled Godwit.

US Geological Survey: Marbled godwit Limosa fedoa

Information includes identification tips and a discussion of similar species.

Photos

Some more photos.


Courtesy National Biological Information Infrastructure

Courtesy US Fish and Wildlife Service

Taking a snooze. Courtesy of the US Fish and Wildlife Service

Photo Links

Birder's World: Marbled Godwit

Photo from Birder's World.

Stokes Birding Blog: Wings

Lillian Stokes got a nice shot of a Marbled Godwit and Willet landing. Good chance to compare wings.

Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center: Marbled Godwit Photographs

Nine photographs of Marbled Godwits.

Videos

Bird Cinema: Marbled Godwit

Internet Bird Collection: Marbled Godwit

Marbled Godwits feeding on the beach.

You might also like the following posts:

American Avocet

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary

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American Avocet--Recurvirostra americana

American Avocet Couple. Notice the more upturned bill on the female on the right.

In breeding plumage, the American Avocet is one of the easiest shore birds to recognize. The cinnamon head and black-and-white wings are characteristic marks. The sexes are the same except for slightly more upturned bill of the female American Avocet. You can see in the picture above that the bird on the right is a female by her upturned bill. If you want to know how to pronounce "Avocet" click here to go to Merriam Webster's online dictionary.


American Avocet in Breeding Plumage foraging and splashing up a storm.

Also characteristic of American Avocets is the way it feeds: swinging its bill back and forth in the water like it was panning for gold. It feeds on small-sized invertebrates (animals without at backbone like little worms, microscopic zooplankton, tiny nematodes, small shrimp, insects, etc.). It also eats some aquatic plant matter. It also probes its bill into the mud to extract tasty little snacks.

American Avocets forage for small invertebrates like brine shrimp.

American Avocets can be found in wet environments like estuaries, mudflats, ponds, wetlands, beaches, and other similar environments. They breed in some coastal areas of California including Orange County and also in the Great Plains, Texas, Montana, and Canada. They are year-round residents of Orange County. Their numbers may increase in the fall and winter due to migrants who spend the winter in Southern California.

American Avocets in the shallows.

American Avocets are seasonally monogamous. They court in style, with lots of flourishes. They cross bills after mating and walk for a while together with one of the male's wing around the female according to Sibley (The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior, page 270). They can seem like a very romantic bird.

American Avocets going out for a bite to eat.

The chicks are precocial. They can be quite independent. They can feed themselves soon after hatching. Even though the chicks are so independent, the parents are strong defenders of the nesting area, and will attack predators with a powerful offense. They will also fake injury to distract predators away from the nest and young.

Group of Avocets in winter plumage. At San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary.

There are four other kinds of Avocet world-wide: American Avocet, Andean Avocet, Pied Avocet, and the Red-necked Avocet. American Avocets tend to be gregarious, hanging out together in large groups of American Avocets and other shores birds. I have seen them with ducks as well.

Hanging out with Pin-tailed Ducks--far right.

American Avocets are part of the family Recurvirostridae. In the United States, the only other Recurvirostridae family member is the long-legged Black-necked Stilt.

Black-necked Stilt

American Avocet

Check out American Avocets at a nearby wetlands or beach. They are here year-round and we can see them in all plumages. Try Bolsa Chica, San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary, or Newport Back Bay. It's a great bird to watch.

American Avocet--Recurvirostra americana from OC Birder Girl on Vimeo.

American Avocet Foraging at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in muddy shallows. Notice the side-to-side gold-panning style. The loud machinery is the construction going on. They are creating an education Center out of pre-existing buildings. Grading and other construction makes for a lot of noise near the Audubon House.

OC Birder Girl Links

Similar Bird

Black-necked Stilt--Himantopus mexicanus

Places to see American Avocets

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Central Park in Huntington Beach

San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary

Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve aka Newport Back Bay

American Avocet in breeding plumage with cinnamon head

External Resources and Links

All About Birds from Cornell: American Avocet

Article includes photographs, range maps, sound files, facts about habitat, behavior, nesting and lots more.

Animal Diversity Web: Recurvirostra americana--American Avocet

Great site from the University of Michigan which has information about birds and other animals. The American Avocet page includes lots of photographs of American Avocets, their geographic range, habitat, ecosystem roles, food habits, reproduction, behavior, and more.

Bird Web from Washington State: American Avocet

American Avocet information from the Seattle Audubon Society.

Duncraft: American Avocet

American Avocet profile with tabs for different identification, behavior and more. Very detailed with excellent drawings. Duncraft sells wild bird and squirrel products such as bird seed, bird feeders, bird houses and more. It has a bird guide on its site that is very good. Site worth checking out.




Nature Works: American Avocet - Recurvirostra americana

Information on the American Avocet.



Oiseaux .net: American Avocet

French site with English version. Includes world range map, physical description, voice, behavior, flight, habitat, reproduction, food habits and more.

American Avocets in black-and-white winter plumage.

Links to Journal Articles

Effects of Management Practices on Wetland Birds: American Avocet

Lots of information about migration, preferred habitat, brood parasitism, and more. All geared toward looking at the species response to wildlife management practices.


Egg Shell Removal Behavior of American Avocets and Black-necked Stilts

A study of interesting American Avocet and the closely related Black-necked Stilt behavior and the reasons it might occur.

Apparent Hybrids between the American Avocet and Black-necked Stilt in California

An article and photo of apparent cross-breeding between two closely related species.

Historical Changes in the Abundance and Distribution of the American Avocet at the Northern Limits of Its Winter Range

Provided by SORA from Western Bird, article discusses several changes that may explain changes of range at one location in Humboldt Bay, California.

American Avocet foraging

Photos

Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center: American Avocet Photographs




Two Photographs from the US Fish and Wildlife Service


American Avocet in Breeding Plumage Courtesy of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

American Avocet in plumage between breeding and winter. Might also be a juvenile. Courtesy of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Video

Internet Bird Collection: American Avocet

Bird Cinema: American Avocet Winter Plumage

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