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BC Conservation Data Centre: Species Summary


Melanerpes lewis
Lewis's Woodpecker

 
Scientific Name: Melanerpes lewis (Gray, 1849)
English Name: Lewis's Woodpecker
 
Classification / Taxonomy
Scientific Name - Concept Reference: American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Classification Level: Species
Species Group: Vertebrate Animal
Species Code: B-LEWO
Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family
Animalia Craniata Aves Piciformes Picidae
   
Conservation Status / Legal Designation
Global Status: G4 (Oct 2024)
Provincial Status: S2S3B (Mar 2022)
BC List: Blue
Provincial FRPA list: Y (May 2004)  
Provincial Wildlife Act:
COSEWIC Status: Threatened (Nov 2024)
SARA Schedule: 1  -  Threatened (Jul 2012)
General Status Canada: 3 - Sensitive (2005)
Migratory Bird Convention Act: Y
   
Ecology & Life History
General Description:
Subspecies Comments: No subspecies are recognized. It is not known if populations in disjunct geographic areas are genetically distinct.
Identification Comments: No visible difference between Lewis's Woodpeckers that breed in British Columbia versus elsewhere.
Global Reproduction Comments: Life-long pair bond. Clutch size is five to nine (usually six to seven). Incubation, by both sexes, lasts 13-14 days. Young can fly 28-34 days after hatching (Terres 1980, Ehrlich et al. 1988).
Provincial Reproduction Comments: Reproductive behaviour in British Columbia is similar to that reported elsewhere. This species tends to be semi-colonial, with up to 3 nests in a single tree and 31 nests recorded in a burn in a single season (Cooper and Beauchesne 2000). Cooperative behaviour between neighbouring pairs has been observed (Beauchesne and Cooper 2002). Anecdotal information (e.g., the reuse in consecutive years of the same nest cavity in a tree with multiple cavities) suggests strong site fidelity of breeding pairs (Beauchesne and Cooper 2004).
Global Ecology Comments: May compete with acorn woodpeckers (MELANERPES FORMICIVORUS) for acorn crop (Terres 1980). Will aggressively defend food caches from all comers. Territorial in immediate space around nest sites toward Red-headed Woodpeckers (MELANERPES ERYTHROCEPHALUS) and other Lewis's Woodpeckers; however, may nest semi-gregariously where several nest cavities are close together (Bock 1970, Bock et al. 1971, Tobalske 1997). Breeding season territories reported to vary between 1 and 6 hectares in the Blue Mountains of Washington and Oregon (Thomas et al. 1979). Foraging home ranges broadly overlap and large numbers of birds may forage together where there is a local abundance of food (Tobalske 1997). Local areas of higher abundance occur in northern Arizona, Washington, Oregon and northern California in summer (Sauer et al. 1997); California, Arizona and northern New Mexico in winter (Sauer et al. 1996).
Migration Characteristics:
(Global / Provincial)		 
    Nonmigrant:
    Local Migrant:
    Distant Migrant:
    Within Borders Migrant: 		Y / N
Y / Y
Y / Y
na / N
Global Migration Comments: Populations in the northern half of the breeding range move southward for winter; present year-round in rest of breeding range although some birds migrate out. Movements likely vary in magnitude from year to year, probably in relation to food availability. Nomadic flocks have been observed in fall and winter (Tobalske 1997; see also Hadow 1973).
Provincial Mobility & Migration Comments: Most British Columbia breeders migrate to pine-oak forests in the western USA or Mexico, however some individuals may occasionally over-winter as far north as the Okanagan Valley of southern British Columbia (Cannings et al. 1987; Campbell et al. 1990) and on Vancouver Island, British Columbia (Cowan 1940; AOU 1957; Beauchesne and Cooper 2002).
Habitats:
(Type / Subtype / Dependence) 		Agriculture / Cultivated Field / Facultative - occasional use
Agriculture / Hedgerow / Facultative - occasional use
Agriculture / Pasture/Old Field / Facultative - occasional use
Anthropogenic / Urban/Suburban / Facultative - occasional use
Forest / Conifer Forest - Dry / Facultative - frequent use
Forest / Deciduous/Broadleaf Forest / Facultative - frequent use
Grassland/Shrub / Antelope-brush Steppe / Facultative - frequent use
Grassland/Shrub / Grassland / Facultative - frequent use
Grassland/Shrub / Meadow / Facultative - frequent use
Grassland/Shrub / Sagebrush Steppe / Facultative - frequent use
Riparian / Riparian Forest / Facultative - frequent use
Global Habitat Comments: BREEDING: Open forest and woodland, often logged or burned, including oak, coniferous forest (primarily ponderosa pine [PINUS PONDEROSA], riparian woodland and orchards, less commonly in pinyon-juniper (PINUS spp.-JUNIPERUS spp.; AOU 1983). Distribution closely associated with open ponderosa pine forest in western North America, and is strongly associated with fire-maintained old-growth ponderosa pine (Diem and Zeveloff 1980, Tobalske 1997, Saab and Dudley 1998).

Important habitat features include an open tree canopy, a brushy understory with ground cover, dead trees for nest cavities; dead or downed woody debris, perch sites, and abundant insects. Uses open ponderosa pine forests, open riparian woodlands dominated by cottonwood (POPULUS spp.), and logged or burned pine. Also uses oak (QUERCUS spp.) woodlands, orchards, pinyon-juniper woodlands, other open coniferous forests, and agricultural lands. Apparently prefers open ponderosa pine at high elevations and open riparian forests at lower elevations (Bock 1970, Tobalske 1997). In Blue Mountains, Oregon, showed a preference for open stands near water (Thomas et al. 1979). Because catches insects from air, perches near openings or in open canopy are important for foraging habitat (Bock 1970, Tobalske 1997).

Often use burned pine forests, although suitability of postfire habitats varies with the age, size, and intensity of the burn, density of remaining snags, and the geographic region. Birds may move to unburned stands once young fledge (Block and Brennan 1987, Tobalske 1997, Saab and Dudley 1998). Have been generally considered a species of older burns rather than new ones, moving in several years post-fire once dead trees begin to fall and brush develops, five to thirty years after fire (Bock 1970, Block and Brennan 1987, Caton 1996, Linder and Anderson 1998). However, on a two- to four-year-old burn in Idaho it was the most common cavity-nester, and occurred in highest nesting densities ever recorded for the species (Saab and Dudley 1998). As habitat suitability declines, however, numbers decline. For example, in Wyoming, was more common in a seven-year-old burn than in a twenty-year-old burn (Linder and Anderson 1998). Overall, suitable conditions include an open canopy, availability of nest cavities and perches, abundant arthropod prey, and a shrubby understory (Linder and Anderson 1998, Saab and Dudley 1998).

NESTING: Unlike other woodpeckers, is not morphologically well-adapted to excavate cavities in hard wood. Tends to nest in a natural cavity, abandoned northern flicker (COLAPTES AURATUS) hole, or previously used cavity, 1-52 meters above ground. Sometimes will excavate a new cavity in a soft snag (standing dead tree), dead branch of a living tree, or rotting utility pole (Harrison 1979, Tobalske 1997). Mated pair may return to the same nest site in successive years. On partially-logged burns with high nesting densities in Idaho, nest sites were characterized by the presence of large, soft snags and an average of 62 snags per hectare that had more than 23 centimeter dbh (Saab and Dudley 1998).

NON-BREEDING: In late summer, wandering flocks move from valleys into mountains or from breeding habitat to orchards. In winter, uses oak woodlands, nut and fruit orchards. An important habitat feature in many wintering areas is the availability of storage sites for grains or mast, such as tree bark (e.g. bark of mature cottonwood trees) or power poles with dessication cracks (Bock 1970, Tobalske 1997). In southwestern Arizona and southeastern California, may use scrub oak, pecan orchards, and cottonwoods, but more study is needed in this area (Bock 1970). In Mexico, uses open and semi-open woodlands, especially those with oaks (Howell and Webb 1995).
Provincial Habitat Comments: Three distinct habitats are used in British Columbia: open areas with scattered trees, riparian forests adjacent to open areas; and burns (Campbell et al. 1990; Cooper et al. 1998; Cooper and Beauchesne 2000; Cooper and Gillies 2000).
Food Habits: Invertivore: Adult, Immature
Global Food Habits Comments: Feeds on adult emergent insects (e.g., ants, beetles, flies, grasshoppers, tent caterpillars, mayflies) in summer, ripe fruit and nuts in fall and winter. Opportunistic and may respond to insect outbreaks and grasshopper swarms by increasing breeding densities. Unlike other woodpeckers, does not bore for insects but will flycatch and glean insects from tree branches or trunks; also drops from perch to capture insects on the ground. Especially favors acorns and commercial nuts and fruit in fall and winter, and caches food in natural crevices such as tree bark and dessication cracks in utility poles, tailoring food to fit crevices. Also eats huckleberry, twinberry, currant, mountain ash and chokecherries (Bock 1970, Tobalske 1997). In some areas, wintering birds rely more on insects than on cached food (Hadow 1973).
Provincial Food Habits Comments: In British Columbia, as elsewhere, insects caught on the wing are an important part of the diet. Other food items include insects collected through gleaning (e.g., tent caterpillar) and fruits (e.g., Saskatoon berry) (Tobalske 1997; Beauchesne and Cooper 2004).
Global Phenology: Diurnal: Adult, Immature
Provincial Phenology:
(1st half of month/
2nd half of month)		 Apr: / Active
May: Active / Reproducing
June: Reproducing / Reproducing
July: Reproducing / Reproducing
Aug: Reproducing / Active
Sept: Active / Active
Oct: Active /
Provincial Phenology Comments: In British Columbia, Lewis's Woodpeckers typically return from their wintering grounds in May (Cannings et al. 1987). Nesting is later than many other species and usually does not begin until June. Nestlings may not fledge until late July (Cooper and Beauchesne 2000). The timing of dispersal and migration is uncertain, but birds may begin leaving by the end of August and most will have left the province by mid October (Cannings et al. 1987; Campbell et al. 1990).
Colonial Breeder: N
Length(cm)/width(cm)/Weight(g): 27/ / 116
Elevation (m) (min / max): Global: 
Provincial:  0 / 1200
   
 
Distribution
Endemic: N
Global Range Comment: Estimate is based on breeding range shown in Vierling et al. (2020). BREEDING: Local, scattered distribution in western North America: found from southern interior of British Columbia, Montana, southwestern South Dakota and northwestern Nebraska south to south-central California, central Arizona, southern New Mexico, and eastern Colorado (Vierling et al. 2020). Breeding range contracted in a number of areas in the last half of the twentieth century: for example, no longer breeds in coastal British Columbia, western Washington State, and the Willamette Valley of Oregon (Siddle and Davidson 1991, Cooper et al. 1998). Formerly bred (but probably only occasionally) in western Alberta, but no longer (Semenchuk 1992, COSEWIC 2010, Environment and Climate Change Canada 2014).

NON-BREEDING: Mainly from northern Oregon, southern Idaho, central Colorado, south-central Nebraska south irregularly to northern Mexico, southern New Mexico, and western Texas (Vierling et al. 2020).
 
Authors / Contributors
Global Information Author: HAMMERSON, G.
Last Updated: Mar 22, 1995
Provincial Information Author: S.M. Beauchesne and J.M. Cooper
Last Updated: Feb 17, 2005
   
References and Related Literature
1998. Lewis's Woodpecker. B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Wildl. Branch. 2pp.
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1957. The A.O.U. Check-list of North American Birds, 5th ed. Port City Press, Inc., Baltimore, MD. 691pp.
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1983. Check-list of North American Birds, 6th edition. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas. 877 pp.
B.C. Ministry of Environment. Recovery Planning in BC. B.C. Minist. Environ. Victoria, BC.
Beauchesne, S., and J.M. Cooper. 2002. Lewis's Woodpecker Stewardship Account for The Garry Oak Ecosystems of Southwestern British Columbia. Prepared for the Vertebrates at Risk Recovery Action Group of the Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team, and B.C. Minist. Water, Land and Air Prot., Victoria.
Beauchesne, S.M., and J.M. Cooper. 2004. National Management Plan for Lewis's Woodpecker in Canada. Prepared for Minist. Water, Land and Air Prot., Penticton, BC. Draft.
Bock, C. E. 1970. The ecology and behavior of the Lewis' woodpecker (Asyndesmus lewis). Univ. California Pub. Zool. No. 92.
British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection. 2004. Lewis's Woodpecker in Accounts and measures for managing identified wildlife. British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, Victoria, BC. 52pp.
Campbell, R.W., et al. 1988. Species Notes for Selected Birds, Vol. 2 in A.P. Harcombe, tech. ed. 1988. B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Wildl. Branch. Rep. R-16. 131pp.
Campbell, R.W., N.K. Dawe, I. McTaggart-Cowan, et al. 1990b. The Birds of British Columbia Vol. 2: Nonpasserines: Diurnal Birds of Prey through Woodpeckers. Royal British Columbia Museum, Victoria, BC.
Cannings, R.A., R.J. Cannings, and S.G. Cannings. 1987. Birds of the Okanagan Valley, B.C. Royal B.C. Mus., Victoria, BC. 420pp.
Carter, M., C. Hunter, D. Pashley, and D. Petit. 1998. The Watch List. Bird Conservation, Summer 1998:10.
Carter, M., G. Fenwick, C. Hunter, D. Pashley, D. Petit, J. Price, and J. Trapp. 1996. Watchlist 1996: For the future. Field Notes 50(3):238-240.
Cooper, J.M., et al. 1998. Status of the Lewis's Woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis) in British Columbia. B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Wildl. Branch. Working Report WR-91. 34pp.
Cooper, J.M., and C. Gillies. 2000. Breeding Distribution of the Lewis's Woodpecker in the East Kootenay Trench in Relation to Fire History. Pp. 423-428 in L.M. Darling, ed. 2000. Proc. Conf. on the Biology and Manage. Species and Habitats at Risk, Kamloops, B.C., 15-19 Feb., 1999. Vol. 1; B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Victoria, BC, and Univ. College of the Cariboo, Kamloops, BC. 490pp.
Cooper, J.M., and S. Beauchesne. 2000. Inventory of Lewis's Woodpecker Breeding Population and Habitat in the East Kootenay. B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Wildl. Branch. Working Rep. WR-100. 38pp.
Cowan, I.McT. 1940b. Winter occurrence of summer birds on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Condor 42:213-214.
Ehrlich, P. R., D. S. Dobkin, and D. Wheye. 1992. Birds in Jeopardy: the Imperiled and Extinct Birds of the United States and Canada, Including Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. 259 pp.
Forest Practices Code. 1997. Lewis' Woodpecker in Species and Plant Community Accounts for Identified Wildlife: Vol. 1. B.C. Minist. For. and B.C. Environ. 184pp.
Harrison, H. H. 1979. A field guide to western birds' nests. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 279 pp.
Mitchell, W. A. 1988. Songbird nest boxes. Section 5.1.8, US Army Corps of Engineers Wildlife Resources Management Manual. Tech. Rep. EL-88-19. Waterways Expt. Station, Vicksburg, Mississippi. 48 pp.
Short, L. L. 1982. Woodpeckers of the World. Museum of Natural History [Greenville, Delaware], Monograph Series xviii + 676 pp.
Steeger, C., M. Machmer, and E. Walters. 1996. Ecology and management of woodpeckers and wildlife trees in British Columbia. Fraser River Action Plan, Environment Canada, Victoria.
Terres, J. K. 1980. The Audubon Society encyclopedia of North American birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Thomas, J. W., R. G. Anderson, C. Maser, and E. L. Bull. 1979. Snags. Pages 60-77 in J. W. Thomas (editor). Wildlife Habitats in Managed Forests: the Blue Mountains of Oregon and Washington. U.S.D.A. Handbook 553.
Tobalske, B.W. 1997. Lewis' Woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis). In A. Poole and F. Gill, eds., The Birds of North America, No. 284. Acad. Nat. Sci., Philadelphia, and Am. Ornithologists' Union, Washington, DC. 28pp.
Vierling, K.T., V.A. Saab, and B.W. Tobalske. 2020. Lewis's Woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.lewwoo.01
 

Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for definitions of the data fields used in this summary report.

Suggested Citation:

B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 1995. Species Summary: Melanerpes lewis. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Jun 10, 2026).