Lewis's Woodpecker, Melanerpes Lewis
Diet
of the Lewis's woodpecker
The majority of the Lewis's woodpeckers diet
consists of insects. They hawk and glean insects in oak woodlands
and coniferous forests. The Lewis's woodpecker also eats fruits,
nuts, and seeds. The
Lewis's woodpecker also stores acorns and may compete with Acorn
woodpeckers for their stashes.
Niche filled by the Lewis's Woodpecker
The Lewis's Woodpecker is the most migratory
of the woodpeckers in California.
The Lewis's woodpecker will also forage on or
near the ground in search of berries and insects
How to attract the Lewis's Woodpecker
Lewis's woodpecker needs a good source of
acorns and insects. This can be archived by planting some well
chosen trees. The cottonwood tree grows quickly and harbors many
insects for the woodpeckers to glean. For a source of acorns a
good choice is the Valley
oak it is a large deciduous oak that grows rapidly. Also do
not remove dead wood as it is necessary for nesting.
Migratory status of the Lewis's woodpecker
The Lewis's
woodpecker is highly migratory often flocking in large groups in
search of more plentiful sources of food.
Range of the Lewis's woodpecker
The Lewis's woodpecker is found throughout
most of California except the deserts. It spends the summer in
the coast ranges and the north eastern part of California. In the
winter the Lewis's woodpecker goes in search of acorns moving
into the central valley and coastal ranges
Habitat/plant
community used by the Lewis's woodpecker
Closed
Cone Pine Forest
Lodgepole
Pine Forest
Central
Oak Woodland
Yellow
Pine Forest
Northern
Oak Woodland
Southern
Oak Woodland
Mixed
Evergreen Forest
Riparian
Red
Fir forest
Reproduction of the Lewis's woodpecker
The Lewis's woodpecker nests in snags in
riparian plant species as well as oaks and conifers.
|