Lewis’s woodpecker, scientifically known as Melanerpes lewis, is a medium-sized woodpecker named after Meriwether Lewis, of the famous Lewis and Clark expedition. The Lewis and Clark expedition was commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 to explore and map the newly acquired territory. During their journey west from 1804-1806, Lewis and Clark made many important discoveries, including new plant and animal species. One of the bird species collected and documented was Lewis’s woodpecker, discovered and named by the explorers in 1805.
The Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark expedition officially began on May 14, 1804 when the explorers departed from Camp Dubois near present-day Hartford, Illinois. President Jefferson charged Lewis and Clark with finding a direct and navigable water route across the Western half of the continent and to establish an American presence in the region.
The original crew consisted of 33 members onboard keelboats and two pirogues. The group traveled up the Missouri River through present-day Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and the Dakotas before reaching North Dakota in the fall of 1804. They built Fort Mandan, their winter camp for 1804-1805. Setting out again in April 1805, the expedition split near the Montana/North Dakota border, with Lewis exploring the Marias River and Clark searching along the Yellowstone River. The groups reunited in mid-June and continued west along the Missouri River.
In July 1805, the expedition encountered the Great Falls of the Missouri River in north central Montana, necessitating an arduous 18-mile portage around the five waterfalls. Once beyond the Great Falls, they navigated through the Gates of the Mountains, a narrow gorge carved through the Northern Rockies. On August 12, 1805, the group reached the Three Forks area of modern-day Montana and found the headwaters of the Missouri River.
After canoeing and hiking through difficult terrain, the expedition finally crossed the Continental Divide at Lemhi Pass on August 12, 1805. This marked their transition from the Missouri River watershed to the Columbia River drainage. Lewis became the first United States explorer to reach the Columbia River when they descended into the valley near present-day Salmon, Idaho.
For the next four months, Lewis and Clark forged down the Columbia River Gorge to the Pacific Ocean. After reaching the mouth of the Columbia River near Astoria, Oregon in November 1805, the crew voted on a location to establish their winter camp. They constructed Fort Clatsop near present-day Astoria and spent the next few cold and rainy months collecting specimens and meeting with indigenous tribes to strengthen trade relations.
The Discovery and Naming of Lewis’s Woodpecker
It was during their westward journey in 1805 that Lewis and Clark first encountered the medium-sized black and white woodpecker that now bears Lewis’s name. Most historians pinpoint the discovery to between early August and late September 1805, when the expedition was navigating through what is now western Montana.
The most detailed account comes from Lewis’s journal entry on September 7, 1805 near the Musselshell River:
“I obtained a vulture of the speceis called by the Indians the Calumet Eagle … the long feathers of the tail and wings are black, tho’ those of the neck and the body are of a dark brown and white. the eye is of a pale scarlet colour … this bird feeds on flesh and fish equally with the vultures turkey buzzards, eagles ravens & crows … I cannot therefore be mistaken in ascribing to it the vulture appetite. it is about the size of a crow.”
This description clearly outlines the distinctive features of Lewis’s woodpecker – the black and white plumage, red eyes, and flesh/fish diet. Lewis collected a specimen and declared it a new bird species, distinct from other known woodpeckers.
In 1810, the famous ornithologist Alexander Wilson gave the woodpecker species its official scientific name, naming it Melanerpes lewis in honor of Meriwether Lewis. The common name Lewis’s woodpecker became widely accepted as well. Other early nicknames for the bird included “black woodpecker” and “black and white woodpecker.”
The Lewis and Clark journals indicate that Lewis’s woodpecker was abundant along major rivers in the Northwest such as the Missouri, Yellowstone, and Columbia. Lewis called it “one of the most common woodpeckers of this country.” It was likely one of the easiest new species for the explorers to recognize and document.
While Meriwether Lewis is credited with the woodpecker’s discovery, both Lewis and Clark made detailed observations about its appearance, habitat, diet, and nesting behaviors throughout the journey. These notes provided scientists and ornithologists with the first glimpse into the natural history of Lewis’s woodpecker.
Historic Range and Habitat
Lewis’s woodpecker was first discovered along the Missouri River and its tributaries in the northern Great Plains and western mountain regions. This region encompasses areas of Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, Colorado and western Canada. Lewis and Clark noted that the woodpecker seemed to prefer river bottoms lined with old cottonwood trees.
Cottonwood trees along riparian floodplains provided an ideal habitat because they attracted large insect populations and were easily excavated for nesting cavities. Lewis’s woodpecker also utilizes open pine forests, oak woodlands, burned forests and timbered canyonlands. Its historic range closely matched the distribution of mature cottonwood stands within the broader northwest region.
The woodpeckers primarily eat insects, especially ants and beetle larvae they pick out of trees. They also consume fruits, acorns and pine seeds. Their unique habit of flycatching and storing live insects in special holes in trees helps them survive harsh winters when other foods are scarce. Lewis’s woodpecker is considered a post-fire specialist, flourishing in recently burned coniferous forests with an abundance of snags for nesting and insects drawn to the dead wood.
Current Range
Unfortunately, Lewis’s woodpecker suffered significant declines over the past century due to habitat loss and now occupies a much smaller range. Extensive river damming and development destroyed much of its favored cottonwood galleries. Livestock overgrazing, fire suppression and logging of old-growth forests also impacted its nesting and feeding habitats.
Today, Lewis’s woodpecker occupies only about one-quarter of its historic range. Healthy populations still exist in parts of Oregon, Idaho, Colorado and southern British Columbia. Scattered populations remain in regions of California, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Washington and Alberta. But it has been nearly extirpated from much of its original northern range, including areas explored by Lewis and Clark along the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers. Protecting remaining cottonwood habitats along free-flowing rivers is crucial for the woodpecker’s future.
Naming Controversy
While Meriwether Lewis is immortalized in the woodpecker’s name, the legitimacy of this naming honor has been challenged. Some experts argue William Clark should share the credit since he contributed greatly to documenting the new species. Others question whether Lewis even formally “discovered” the woodpecker.
Several key pieces of evidence counter the Lewis naming tradition:
- Clark collected the first physical specimen on August 31, 1805 and his journal contains more detailed notes than Lewis’s.
- The Blackfeet Indian tribe showed Clark a stuffed specimen in 1806, indicating they were already well acquainted with the bird.
- There are no records of earlier European explorers documenting the woodpecker, but it was likely not unknown locally.
- Alexander Wilson independently described the species in 1811 based on a Pennsylvania specimen, apparently unaware of Lewis and Clark’s notes.
These clues suggest Lewis and Clark were not the true original discoverers. The woodpecker was simply new and unknown to science at the time, but not to indigenous tribes. While Lewis provided the first written record, his sole credit may be undeserved.
Some ornithologists argue the name should be changed to “Lewis and Clark’s woodpecker” to equally honor both explorers. However, precedent favors retaining traditional bird names in most cases. Regardless of these controversies, the Lewis’s woodpecker remains an iconic living legacy of the historic expedition which first brought it to the attention of the scientific community.
Unique Characteristics
Lewis’s woodpecker exhibits many physical and behavioral traits which distinguish it from other North American woodpeckers.
Appearance
- Medium-sized with a wingspan of 21 inches and weight around 8-9 ounces.
- Mainly black plumage on wings and tail, with dark red face and throat.
- Pale gray collar around the neck.
- Greenish-black upperparts and white belly.
- Dark red eyes.
- Ivory-colored bill.
- Pinkish feet.
- Plumage is iridescent, appearing black or greenish depending on lighting.
- Male and female appear nearly identical.
Diet
- Feeds primarily on insects, especially ants and beetle larvae.
- Also eats fruits, nuts and seeds in the fall and winter.
- Hunts for insects on the wing like a flycatcher.
- Stores live insects in unique holes bored into trees.
- Rotates storage holes and allows insects to breed inside the tree before eating them.
Nesting
- Nests in holes excavated in dead trees or tree limbs.
- Does not chisel into live or healthy trees.
- Will use nest boxes and cavities created by other species.
- Breeding season is May through July.
- Lays 3-5 eggs and incubates for 14 days.
- Nestlings fledge around four weeks after hatching.
Behavior
- Gregarious and non-territorial; may nest in loose colonies.
- Nomadic wanderers with unpredictable migrations.
- Will form large flocks outside breeding season.
- Male displays by climbing tree and then gliding down with undulating flight.
- Drums infrequently compared with other woodpeckers.
Vocalizations
- Harsh “creeah” calls.
- Rapping and tapping sounds can signal alarm or maintain contact.
- Nestlings make loud begging calls.
- Adults and young may utter a frog-like guttural rattle when disturbed.
Lewis’s woodpecker’s unique traits and colorful plumage sparked great interest from Lewis and Clark, who wrote more about the bird than any other newly discovered animal species. Their pioneering observations remain the foundation for our understanding of the woodpecker’s natural history.
Significance to Lewis and Clark Expedition
The discovery and documentation of Lewis’s woodpecker was one of the most notable achievements of the historic Lewis and Clark expedition. The encounter with this iconic western bird illustrated several important themes of the journey:
Expanding Knowledge of New Species
Lewis’s woodpecker was among at least 178 plant and animal species collected by the expedition that were completely new to eastern science. Lewis and Clark’s detailed notes, drawings, and physical specimens helped open the door to understanding the unique flora and fauna of the American West.
Challenges in Discovering New Birds
The woodpecker was one of only a few bird species Lewis and Clark definitively recorded as unknown. Others, like the sage grouse and mountain plover, were likely observed but not distinguished as new at the time. The explorers lacked many tools of professional ornithologists. Considering these limitations, the woodpecker stood out as a major accomplishment.
Redefining Bird Names and Classifications
While indigenous names were recorded when possible, Lewis and Clark ultimately gave many birds common names and scientific labels from the system of eastern naturalist Alexander Wilson. Their field notes helped Wilson by providing valuable descriptions of unknown species like the woodpecker he later formally named Melanerpes lewis.
Near Extinction of a Newly Discovered Species
Within 100 years, habitat destruction nearly drove Lewis’s woodpecker to extinction in much of its original range explored by Lewis and Clark. The peril facing the Lewis’s woodpecker today shows how discovery did not ensure the long-term welfare of a species new to science. Maintaining biodiversity remains an ongoing challenge.
Living Legacy of the Expedition
The continued existence of Lewis’s woodpecker symbolizes an enduring natural legacy connecting our world to the historic journey of discovery undertaken by Lewis and Clark. But conservation vigilance is needed to protect the bird and its cottonwood habitat into the future. Rediscovering Lewis’s woodpecker in areas marked by their trail highlights the expedition’s contributions in unexpected ways.
The dramatic encounter with the Lewis’s woodpecker highlights why the Lewis and Clark expedition still looms large in the history of American natural science. While not without controversy, the evocative woodpecker name also keeps the explorers’ spirit of discovery alive for new generations.
Conclusion
In summary, Lewis’s woodpecker was discovered and recorded by the Lewis and Clark expedition during their groundbreaking trek across the American West from 1804 to 1806. Meriwether Lewis officially documented the striking black and white woodpecker along the Missouri River in 1805, providing the first scientific description of a bird species new to eastern science.
Lewis’s woodpecker was likely already well-known to Native American tribes prior to the expedition, but Lewis and Clark recognized it as distinct and notable. Their account allowed the formal scientific naming and classification of the bird a few years later. The woodpecker’s common and scientific names honor the famous explorers.
Lewis’s woodpecker would go on to become an iconic symbol of the unique natural splendor of the Northwest. But loss of river bottom cottonwood habitats nearly eliminated the species across much of its historic range. Protecting the remaining Lewis’s woodpecker populations and restoring key breeding sites helps preserve a meaningful biological legacy of the Lewis and Clark expedition for future generations.