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| Willet | ||||||||||||||
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| Catoptrophorus semipalmatus ( Gmelin, 1789) |
The Willet, Catoptrophorus semipalmatus, is a large shorebird.
Adults have grey legs and a long straight dark bill. The body is dark grey on top and light underneath. The tail is white with a dark band at the end. The wings have a distinctive black and white pattern.
Their breeding habitat is salt marshes in eastern North America from Nova Scotia to the Gulf of Mexico and fresh water prairie marshes in western North America from southern Canada to the northern United States. They nest on the ground, usually in well-hidden locations in short grass, often in colonies.
They migrateLong-distance land bird migration Many species of land birds migrate very long distances, the most common pattern being for birds to breed in the temperate or arctic northern hemisphere and winter in warmer regions, often in the tropics or the southern he to the AtlanticFor other uses, see Atlantic (disambiguation The Atlantic Ocean is Earth's second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of its surface. The ocean's name, derived from Greek mythology, means the " Sea of Atlas". This ocean occupies an elongated, coast from North CarolinaNorth Carolina is a southern state in the United States. North Carolina is one of the thirteen colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution. It is bordered by South Carolina on the south, Georgia on the southwest, Tennessee on th to northern South AmericaSouth America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. South America is situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. It became attached to North America only recently, geologically speaking, wi in the west and to the Pacific coast from CaliforniaCalifornia is a state located in the western United States, bordering the Pacific Ocean. The most populous and third largest state in the U. California is both physically and demographically diverse. The state's official nickname is "The Golden State", wh to South America in the east.
These birds 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.
At one time, this bird was hunted, but their population has recovered well.
A drawing of a Willet in flight