The Lewis's woodpecker was named for Meriwether Lewis, who first described the species in 1805. This medium-sizesd vaguely crow-like woodpecker relies on flycatching during the spring and summer and store mast in the fall and winter.

Formerly widespread in Oregon, it is currently common year-round only in the white oak-ponderosa pine belt east of Mt. Hood. It also breeds in low numbers in open habitat along east Oregon river and stream valleys.

The Lewis's woodpecker is an Oregon Conservation Strategy Species in these ecoregions: Blue Mountains, Columbia Plateau, East Cascades, Klamath Mountains, West Cascades.

Hear the call of the Lewis's woodpecker

Photo by Dave Herr