Lewis's Woodpecker is one of the most atypical woodpeckers in North America — rather than drumming on trees, it perches like a flycatcher and makes aerial sallies to catch insects. Its dark glossy-green back, gray collar, and pink-red belly are unlike any other woodpecker. It caches acorns in bark crevices for winter, sometimes storing thousands in a single tree. It was named by Alexander Wilson for Meriwether Lewis who collected the type specimen.
Best time to see a Lewis's Woodpecker
The best time to see a Lewis's Woodpecker is January–July, when about 65% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 4,936 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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