How to attract Lewis's woodpeckers to your yard
Lewis's Woodpeckers respond to four things: the right food, the right plants, water and safe nesting cover. Here is what each means for this particular bird, drawn from its range across 15 states and provinces.
First: is it in your area, and when?
You can only attract a bird that passes through or lives near you, so start with timing. The Lewis's Woodpecker is a year-round resident in 9 states and provinces, including California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and 3 more — there, a yard can host it in every season. It arrives only to breed in 3, such as Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, so set up before spring arrival. It is a winter visitor in 3, including Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, where feeders and winter fruit matter most.
Plant what Lewis's woodpeckers use
These native plants are tied to the Lewis's Woodpecker in our regional plant lists (Audubon Native Plants and state sources). The count shows how many states or provinces list the plant for this bird — higher means it works across more of the range. Pick the ones native where you live.
| Plant | Type | States | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chokecherry Prunus virginiana | Shrub | 14 | Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load. |
| Rabbitbrush Ericameria nauseosa | Shrub | 14 | Late-season bloom supports insects; seed for sparrows. |
| Ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosa | Tree | 12 | Seeds and bark insects; pygmy nuthatch and woodpecker habitat. |
| Tall goldenrod Solidago altissima | Perennial | 12 | Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter. |
| Douglas fir Pseudotsuga menziesii | Tree | 9 | Seed for crossbills, siskins and chickadees. |
| Paper birch Betula papyrifera | Tree | 7 | Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter. |
| Willow (Bebb) Salix bebbiana | Shrub | 7 | Early catkins draw insects for arriving warblers and hummingbirds. |
| Gambel oak Quercus gambelii | Tree | 6 | Acorns for jays and woodpeckers across the southern Rockies. |
| Bur oak Quercus macrocarpa | Tree | 4 | Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load. |
| Oregon white oak Quercus garryana | Tree | 4 | Acorns and a rich insect community in the Pacific Northwest. |
Your list covers 3 plant layers (shrub, tree, perennial). Layering matters: mixing shrub, tree, perennial gives Lewis's woodpeckers food, perches and cover at different heights. Leave seed heads and fruit standing into winter instead of cutting back in fall.
Offer the food it actually eats
Flying insects caught on the wing; acorns cached in autumn.
- Warm months
- Flying ants, grasshoppers and beetles
- Cold months
- Cached acorns and corn
- At feeders
- Suet, Peanuts, Cracked corn
Feeder style matters as much as food: suet cage or tail-prop suet feeder is the first choice for this bird. The most flycatcher-like woodpecker; stores acorns in bark cracks and defends the larder all winter. Feeder guide →
Give it a place to nest
Natural site: Cavity in a dead ponderosa pine or cottonwood.
The Lewis's Woodpecker uses nest boxes with a 2 1/2 in entrance, mounted 12–20 ft. Exact box dimensions →
- Clutch
- 5–9 eggs
- Incubation
- 12–16 days
- Nestling period
- 28–34 days
- Broods per year
- 1 per season
Timing shifts with latitude: nesting begins around April in California but not until June in Wyoming. Don't trim shrubs or clean boxes during those months.
Water, safety and patience
- A shallow bath (1–2 in deep) with a rough bottom, refreshed every 2–3 days; a dripper or heater makes it far more attractive in summer heat and winter freeze.
- Place feeders within 3 ft of windows or more than 30 ft away to cut window strikes, and keep cats indoors.
- Skip pesticides — most backyard birds feed insects to their nestlings, even seed-eaters.
- Give it time. New feeders and plantings can take days to weeks to be found; residents usually find a stocked yard first.
Frequently asked
What attracts Lewis's woodpeckers to a yard?
Food they actually eat (suet, peanuts, cracked corn), native plants such as Chokecherry, Rabbitbrush, Ponderosa pine, clean water and suitable nesting cover: cavity in a dead ponderosa pine or cottonwood.
What plants attract Lewis's woodpeckers?
Across the Lewis's Woodpecker's range, the native plants most often tied to it are Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), Rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa), Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), Tall goldenrod (Solidago altissima), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). Choose the ones native to your state.
When should I set up my yard for nesting Lewis's woodpeckers?
Nesting starts around April in California and as late as June in Wyoming. Have cover, water and nest boxes ready a month before.
Sources
- Lewis's Woodpecker — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Lewis's Woodpecker life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Lewis's Woodpecker — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.