. . large for the size of thebird, and the young emerge from the shell strong and ableto run in twenty-four hours. The southward flight com-mences early in August, and the birds linger in temperateNorth America until cold weather lessens their food sup-ply, when they resume their southward journey to the equa-tor and beyond. WESTERN WILLET The WiUets are the largest of our short-billed shorebirds; in fact, they are exceeded in size only by the curlewand godwits of the entire shore bird family. The true willet is an Eastern form, occu
. . large for the size of thebird, and the young emerge from the shell strong and ableto run in twenty-four hours. The southward flight com-mences early in August, and the birds linger in temperateNorth America until cold weather lessens their food sup-ply, when they resume their southward journey to the equa-tor and beyond. WESTERN WILLET The WiUets are the largest of our short-billed shorebirds; in fact, they are exceeded in size only by the curlewand godwits of the entire shore bird family. The true willet is an Eastern form, occurring on theAtlantic seacoast, breeding usually on the islands oppositeGeorgia and the Carolinas. The Western Willet is very similar, but slightly darkerin plumage, occurring from western Indiana and southernTexas, up the Mississippi Valley, through Illinois, Dakota,and Kansas, into Canada. These birds partake of the habits of the true plovers,sandpipers, and especially the yellow-legs, like which theyusually travel in small flocks, and are extremely noisy, :?. SHORE BIRDS 137 especially during the breeding season. It is a commonoccurrence, however, to meet with a solitary bird feedingon the sandy beach of our large inland lakes, or on theedges of marshes. They often breed in small colonies. AVillets are beautiful birds when on the wing. Theirflight is strong, and the black and white effect is a con-spicuous field mark. Their food consists of small insectsand aquatic life, which they obtain from the surface of theground in both wet and dry places. The bird takes its name from the clear, flute-like notes,which are uttered in syllables sounding like Pill-will-wil-let, Pilly-willy-willet! repeated in rapid succession. The western willet is found nesting on the prairiesof Minnesota, Dakota, and Manitoba. Unless the parentbird has been sitting upon her eggs for some daj^s, shevacates the n^st at the slightest indication of danger andapproaches the intruder from the opposite directio
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