Lewis’s Woodpecker
Lewis's Woodpecker
Melanerpes lewis
At a Glance
One of our oddest woodpeckers (and not only because of its colors, which include pink, silver, and oily green). Although it climbs trees in woodpecker style, it feeds mostly by catching insects in acrobatic flight: swooping out from a perch like a flycatcher, circling high in the air like a swallow. Wide rounded wings give it a more buoyant flight than most woodpeckers. In fall, Lewis's Woodpecker chops up acorns and other nuts, stores them in crevices, then guards the storage area for its winter food supply. Discovered on the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804-1806, and named for the expedition's co-leader.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Picidae, Woodpeckers, Tree-clinging Birds
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Arroyos and Canyons, Fields, Meadows, and Grasslands, Forests and Woodlands, Shrublands, Savannas, and Thickets
Region
California, Northwest, Plains, Rocky Mountains, Southwest, Texas, Western Canada
Behavior
Direct Flight, Flap/Glide
Population
82.000
Range & Identification
Migration & Range Maps
Some may be permanent residents, others move south and to lower elevations in winter. Quite variable from year to year; in some winters, large numbers invade lowlands of southwest. May migrate singly or in flocks.
Description
10 1/2 -11 1/2" (27-29 cm). A chunky woodpecker with distinctly odd colors: oily-green back, red face, pink belly, silver-gray collar. Young bird mostly dark at first, with only a hint of adult colors.
Size
About the size of a Crow, About the size of a Robin
Color
Black, Gray, Green, Purple, Red, White
Wing Shape
Broad, Long, Rounded
Tail Shape
Multi-pointed, Wedge-shaped
Songs and Calls
Usually silent, but occasionally gives a low churring note.
Call Pattern
Falling, Flat
Call Type
Chirp/Chip, Drum, Rattle, Scream, Trill
Habitat
Scattered or logged forest, river groves, burns, foothills. Because of aerial foraging, needs open country in summer, with large trees for nest sites and foraging perches. Often in cottonwood groves, open pine-oak woods, burned or cut-over woods. Winter habitat chosen in autumn for food supply, usually groves of oaks, sometimes date palms, orchards of pecans, walnuts, almonds, fruit.
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Behavior
Eggs
6-7, sometimes 4-9. White. Incubation is by both sexes (with males incubating at night and part of day), 12-16 days.
Young
Both parents bring back insects in bill to feed nestlings. Young leave nest 4-5 weeks after hatching, remain with parents for some time thereafter.
Feeding Behavior
During spring and summer, forages mainly by catching insects in flight: sallying forth from a perch or circling high in air to catch flying insects, or swooping down to catch those on the ground. Also gleans some insects from tree surfaces, and takes small fruits in trees. During fall, harvests acorns or other nuts, breaks them into pieces by pounding with bill, then stores them in bark crevices or holes in trees, to feed on them during winter.
Diet
Mostly insects, nuts, fruits. Feeds on a wide variety of insects; also eats fruits and berries, plus acorns and other nuts.
Nesting
Pairs may mate for life, and may use the same nest site repeatedly. Displays (used in both aggression and courtship) include perching with wings spread, head lowered, neck feathers ruffed out; floating circular flight around nest tree. Nest site is cavity excavated in tree (tree or limb usually dead), sometimes in utility pole, at site apparently chosen by male. Height of nest varies, from 5' to well over 100' above ground, probably usually lower than 60'.
Conservation
Conservation Status
Localized and erratic in occurrence, so populations are hard to monitor. Has disappeared from many former nesting areas. There are some indications of a continuing decline in population in recent years.
Climate Threats Facing the Lewis's Woodpecker
Choose a temperature scenario below to see which threats will affect this species as warming increases. The same climate change-driven threats that put birds at risk will affect other wildlife and people, too.