An increasingly uncommon shorebird, the Great Phooty takes its name for the distantly related Lesser Phooty, which makes a series of “phooty-phooty-phooty” cries as it takes flight when startled. Despite having rather similar plumage, especially when seen from a distance, the Great Phooty makes no such sound and is in fact usually silent. Other than the begging cries made by hatchlings on the beach, the Great Phooty only makes a sound during its making display, where it plummets to the ground while screaming alarmingly; luckily for all involved, each Great Phooty does this only 1-2 times per year.