Willet (Tringa semipalmata semipalmata) 9 April 2009, Grande Island, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. The Willet is divided into two distinct populations. This is the smaller, thicker-billed nominate race which breeds in coastal areas of the Eastern United States from Newfoundland to Mexico. The larger western race, T. s. inornata, breeds in the Plains and Great Basin. It winters on both coasts south to South America where it frequently overlaps the wintering range of the Eastern Willet. The heavy barring on the underparts indicates alternate (breeding) plumage. The thick pinkish bill and slight pinkish cast to the legs are characteristic of Eastern Willet. These birds also have a slightly more shrill call cf. Western Willets. On our visit, courtship was well under way and some birds were displaying from telephone wires. The former generic name, Catoptrophorus, was merged into Tringa in the 47th AOU Check-List supplement but mysteriously placed between the Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs which superficially seem more closely related than the distinctly different Willet. Digiscoped with Panasonic DMC-LZ5 Nikon FieldScope 3 / 30X WA hand-held (no adapter)