The willet is an inelegant and heavily built shorebird with a structure similar to that of the common redshank but being larger in size than the greater yellowlegs while resembling a godwit in flight with black primary coverts and primaries contrasting with a broad white band, white secondaries with a white rump and gray tail band.

The black underwing coverts may be conspicuous in flight.
Willets are identified on the ground by their gray legs and shortish, heavy but straight bill.

The plumage is gray above with a white rump, and white below with a distinct white area above the lores and a narrow whitish eye ring giving the bird a spectacled appearance.
The underparts are white.

In breeding plumage the bird shows brown barring on the upperparts.
Non-breeding birds are plainer.
It has a length of 330-410mm with a wing span of up to 444mm.
The willet is an inelegant and heavily built shorebird with a structure similar to that of the common redshank but being larger in size than the greater yellowlegs while resembling a godwit in flight with black primary coverts and primaries contrasting with a broad white band, white secondaries with a white rump and gray tail band.
The black underwing coverts may be conspicuous in flight. Willets are identified on the ground by their gray legs and shortish, heavy but straight bill.
The plumage is gray above with a white rump, and white below with a distinct white area above the lores and a narrow whitish eye ring giving the bird a spectacled appearance. The underparts are white.
In breeding plumage the bird shows brown barring on the upperparts. Non-breeding birds are plainer. It has a length of 330-410mm with a wing span of up to 444mm.
Willet