Bird · GBIF taxon 2478142
Lewis's Woodpecker
Melanerpes lewisAlso known as Crow Woodpecker, Lewis Woodpecker
Lewis's woodpeckers stand out among North American woodpeckers for their unusual flycatcher-like foraging, swooping from high snags to catch insects mid-air. Their striking greenish-black backs, pinkish bellies, and dark red faces set them apart visually from their spotted or ladder-backed relatives. During autumn, they harvest and store acorns and seeds in bark crevices to sustain themselves through winter.
FlycatchingForest BirdAcorn Storer
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Flying beetles
- Grasshoppers
- Acorns
Predators
- Cooper's Hawk
- Peregrine Falcon
- Great Horned Owl
ThreatsLoss of nesting snags, wildfire suppression, and competition for cavities
HabitatsOpen pine forests, burned woodlands, and riparian cottonwood groves
Life span6–9 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyPicidae
- SpeciesMelanerpes lewis
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Listen for Churring: Watch open burn areas and listen for soft, harsh churring calls during the breeding season.
- Scan High Snags: Look for solitary birds perched at the very top of dead trees hawking for insects.
- Observe from Afar: Maintain a respectful distance around nest cavities to avoid disturbing brooding adults.
Competitor (c) Jon Robson, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Jon Robson · cc-by-sa
Cavity Competitor (c) Shiva Shenoy, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Shiva Shenoy · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Dmitry Mozzherin, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative "Birds - Red-headed Woodpecker by MarvinnAnn Patterson" by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southwest Region is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/. · cc0
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