Willet, western subspecies, Tringa semipalmata inornata
Western Willet, breeding plumage, 6/20/05, Marble Hot Springs Road, Sierra Valley, Plumas Co
The western subspecies, "inornata," migrates through the Bay Area and also winters here. It is on average larger, with proportionately longer and slimmer bill, paler, more likely to appear gray rather than brown, and less heavily speckled in its breeding plumage, shown above, than the eastern subspecies, "semipalmata," which is shown here. These may be recognized as separate species some day.
Willet, breeding plumage, flying 6/26/09, Marble Hot Springs Road, Sierra Valley, Plumas Co
This flying bird and the one in the image above it are on their nesting grounds in the marshes of Sierra Valley, on the east side of the Sierras.
Willet, breeding plumage, 7/31/10, Palo Alto Baylands
The Willet shown above and below in late July has recently returned from the nesting
grounds still in breeding plumage.


Willet, breeding plumage, 7/31/10, Palo Alto Baylands
Willet, molting, with mole crab, 4/16/05, Stinson Beach, Marin Co
In mid-April, this Willet has mostly molted its head and underparts to the striped and spotted breeding plumage, while only a few of the breeding-plumage feathers have replaced the solid-colored non-breeding feathers on the back and wings.


Willet, non-breeding plumage, 10/12/08, Pillar Point, San Mateo Co
Willets in non-breeding plumage are plain gray birds, inconspicuous unless ...
9/15/08, Pillar Point, San Mateo Co
... they act fierce, or...
Willet, non-breeding plumage, 10/8/07, Salinas State Beach, Monterey Co
...prance in the surf, or...
Willet, non-breeding plumage, 9/23/10, Palo Alto Baylands
...spread their wings, or...
Willet, non-breeding plumage, flying, 9/25/06, Salinas State Beach, Monterey Co
...fly by themselves, or...
Willets, flying, with Marbled Godwit, 12/9/08, Radio Road, Redwood Shores, San Mateo Co
... with others, or...
Willets, fighting, 3/9/07, Palo Alto Baylands
... fight. This may look like some kind of rough courting action of the kind familiar
\among ducks, but in fact it is a territorial spat. Birds of North America Online
reports that Willets fight over territory even on the wintering ground, and that in
fights they sometimes pull out opponents' tail feathers.
Willet, non-breeding plumage, 1/1/07, Moss Landing Harbor, Monterey Co
And plain as they are just standing there, they can look good in the warm light of the setting sun.
Willet, landing, aberrant basic plumage, 12/5/10, Radio Road, Redwood Shores, San Mateo Co
Finally, an oddity. This Willet has gone through the pre-basic molt in late summer that normally produces
the typical plain non-breeding plumage. But in this case, the bird grew in a second round of the striped
head and underparts plumage that is normal in the breeding season. If this were breeding plumage
retained from the previous spring and summer by a failure or long delay in pre-basic molt, it would
be severely worn, but these feathers appear quite fresh. This is thus "basic" or "non-breeding" plumage
that has the appearance of being "alternate" or "breeding."