The Willet is a large shorebird that can be easily recognized by its distinctive calls and wing markings. They have a bold white and black stripe running the length of each wing. Although their plumage can vary, they have a chunky shape and a thick, long bill. Willets can be found along beaches, mudflats, and rocky shores on most of the coastline. They feed both during the day and at night using the sensitive tips of their bills. Willets were once a popular food and their eggs were considered tasty. Due to market hunting, by the early 1900s, Willets had almost vanished north of Virginia. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 protected the Willet and marked the start of their comeback. Breeding Willets have subtle differences in ecology, shape, and calls depending on their location. Western Willets breed in freshwater habitats and are slightly larger and paler gray. Eastern Willets have stouter bills and more barring on their chest and back. Both parents incubate the eggs but only the male spends the night on the nest. Willets will also pretend to be injured in order to draw predators away from their eggs or chicks. Willets build their nests on the ground along pond edges or other seasonal wetlands. The male initiates nest building by scraping out a small depression with his feet and breast in the grass, on beach sand, or on bare ground. If the nest is built in grass, the female pulls in surrounding vegetation to hide the nest site, lining the nest cup with finer grasses and pebbles. If built on bare ground, the birds bring grass from a distance to line the scrape. The finished nest is just over 6 inches across and 2 inches deep.