Head to head
Lewis's Woodpecker vs Red-Headed Woodpecker
Lewis's woodpecker and the red-headed woodpecker are both unusual among woodpeckers for catching insects on the wing, a shared trait wrapped in very different plumage.
| Lewis's Woodpecker | Red-Headed Woodpecker | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Melanerpes lewis | Melanerpes erythrocephalus |
| Plumage | Dark, iridescent, pink-red belly | Bold red, white, and black |
| Diet | Insectivore | Omnivore |
| Food caching | Acorns in bark crevices | Food covered with bark scraps |
| Native range | Western North America | Much of the eastern and central US |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Population trend | Decreasing | Decreasing |
| Habitat | Forest, grassland | Forest, grassland |
Lewis's Woodpecker vs Red-headed Woodpecker: common questions
Do both Lewis's woodpecker and the red-headed woodpecker catch insects in flight?
Yes, both species are unusual among woodpeckers for catching insects on the wing much like a flycatcher, a shared hunting style not common across most of the rest of the woodpecker family.
How can you tell Lewis's woodpecker from a red-headed woodpecker?
Lewis's woodpecker has dark, iridescent greenish-black plumage with a pink-red belly, while the red-headed woodpecker has bold, high-contrast red, white, and black plumage, making the two easy to separate by colour alone.
Which species is more threatened, Lewis's woodpecker or the red-headed woodpecker?
The red-headed woodpecker is more threatened, classified as Near Threatened and decreasing, while Lewis's woodpecker remains classified as Least Concern despite also declining in parts of its range.