Lewis's woodpecker is a large North American species of woodpecker which ornithologist Alexander Wilson named after Meriwether Lewis. Lewis was one of the explorers who surveyed the areas bought by the United States of America as part of the Louisiana Purchase and first described this species of bird.
Region
Western North America
Typical Environment
Breeds from southern British Columbia and the interior Pacific Northwest through the Rocky Mountain region and locally in California’s Sierra Nevada and oak-pine foothills. Winters mainly in the southwestern United States and lower elevations where food is abundant. Occupies open ponderosa pine woodlands, burned forests with standing snags, oak savannas, and riparian corridors with mature cottonwoods. Avoids dense, closed-canopy forests and highly urbanized areas. Requires standing dead trees for nesting and foraging.
Altitude Range
0–2500 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Lewis's woodpecker is unusual among woodpeckers for its buoyant, crow-like flight and habit of catching insects in midair. It favors open pine forests, burned areas, and riparian cottonwoods, where it nests in cavities and often reuses or enlarges old holes. The species stores acorns and other nuts in crevices, defending small granaries in winter. Named by Alexander Wilson in honor of Meriwether Lewis, it is a characteristic woodpecker of the American West.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
buoyant with long glides
Social Behavior
Often forages in loose groups and may defend small winter food caches. Pairs nest in cavities in dead or decaying trees, sometimes in lightly colonial clusters where snags are plentiful. Both sexes excavate or enlarge cavities and share incubation and chick-rearing duties.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Vocalizations are mostly harsh churrs, raspy krrr calls, and rolling rattles; true melodious song is limited. Drumming is relatively infrequent compared to many woodpeckers and is short and muted.
Plumage
Dark, glossy greenish-black upperparts with a pale gray collar and upper breast, and a distinct pinkish-salmon belly. Wings and tail appear dark and uniform in flight with broad, rounded wings. The face shows a subtle dark red wash around the cheeks.
Diet
Primarily feeds on flying insects, which it hawks from prominent perches in open habitats. Also consumes fruits, acorns, and other seeds, and will store nuts in bark crevices for later use. Opportunistically gleans insects from trunks and branches, especially in cooler months.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in open pine and oak savannas, post-fire landscapes with abundant snags, and riparian cottonwood groves. Often uses exposed perches along forest edges and clearings to sally for aerial insects.
