A Rose-bellied Lewis’s Woodpecker – Reflections of the Natural World
One Moment in Nature is a reflection back in time to a moment of discovery as I explored the natural settings around me. Through the sharing of this moment, is my hope that readers will become motivated to learn more about our environment and its inhabitants, and become passionate advocates for conservation. One Moment in Nature is a Reflections of the Natural World Blog Post Series by Jim Gain
THE LEWIS’S WOODPECKER MOMENT – Another one of those “Uncommon but regular” winter visitors in Eastern Stanislaus County is the Lewis’s Woodpecker. On this morning in late September whilst driving slowly along Cooperstown Road I noticed a distant crow-sized bird perched at the tiptop of a Blue Oak tree on the edge of the grasslands. This bird did an agile lunge upwards in a flycatching behavior and quickly alighted back on the same perch, only to repeat the acrobatic manuver yet again. This flycatching behavior took me back in time to 1988 when I had my first “lifer” Lewis’s Woodpecker pointed out to me while walking along the road to the La Grange dam with Harold and Sherrie Reeve. Harold had pointed out this specific behavior that was pretty peculiar for a woodpecker.
This morning 9/30/2025, the intial observation was accompanied by the calls of two more Lewis’s Woodpeckers flying between nearby oak trees. I rarely find Lewis’s Woodpeckers that are cooperative as they usually quickly distance themselves from humans. With my longest lens though I was able to capture their antics as they interacted. The one that I assumed to be theis year’s baby never wandered far from the top of this particular tree and was fond of making lots of squeeky calls. The others would approach it, but I never saw them attempt to feed it.
A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME WOULD SMELL AS SWEET – The American Ornithological Society (AOS) announced in 2023 that it would systematically change the English common names of all bird species named after people in the U.S. and Canada. There has been no indication yet by the AOS as to what the new name might be, but some of the leading suggestions include: Collared Woodpecker, Rose-bellied Woodpecker, and Crow Woodpecker.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION – Lewis’s Woodpecker is a striking, medium-sized woodpecker with a glossy green-black back, deep red face, and soft pinkish-red belly, contrasting with broad gray collar and wings. Its slow, buoyant flight and crow-like wingbeats set it apart from other woodpeckers.
STATUS IN CALIFORNIA’S CENTRAL VALLEY – Lewis’s Woodpecker occurs sporadically in California’s Central Valley, primarily during the winter months, where it favors open oak woodlands, riparian groves, and agricultural edges with scattered snags. It is generally uncommon and irregular in occurrence, with numbers varying year to year depending on acorn crops and broader population movements. The species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, though it has experienced regional declines due to habitat loss and fire suppression that reduce suitable nesting and foraging sites. Natural history observations highlight its aerial foraging behavior, caching of acorns and insects, and preference for nesting in dead trees, with breeding largely restricted to montane habitats outside the valley.
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