The willet (Tringa semipalmata) name is onomatopoeic and refers to it loud piercing "pill-will-willet" territorial song. A long-legged, straight-billed American shorebird in the sandpiper family, in flight it reveals a bold white and black stripe running the length of each wing. Its closest relative is the lesser yellowlegs. The Willet will fake a broken wing in order to lure predators away from its eggs or chicks. Western Willets breed in freshwater habitats of the US, and are slightly larger and paler grey. Eastern Willets have stouter bills and more barring on their chest and back.
