Lewis's Woodpecker in June
Where Lewis's woodpeckers are in June, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.
June in the Lewis's Woodpecker's year
June is the height of the nesting season. Most resident and migrant species are raising young, migration is essentially over, and bird activity peaks at dawn. By late June the first fledglings of the year are everywhere — clumsy, loud, and constantly begging.
For the Lewis's Woodpecker specifically, June is a summer month inside the nesting season — one of the most active and demanding periods of this bird's year. Across the 15 states and provinces where Lewis's woodpeckers occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.
Where Lewis's woodpeckers are in June
- Southern states
- absent
- Mid-latitudes
- year-round resident
- Northern states & Canada
- absent
In June, Lewis's woodpeckers are absent in the South, year-round resident across the mid-latitudes, and absent in the northern states and Canada. That north–south split is the defining feature of this month: where you live changes which version of this bird you're looking at.
Nesting in June
June is inside the Lewis's Woodpecker nesting season. Nest: cavity in a dead ponderosa pine or cottonwood. Clutch 5–9 eggs, incubation 12–16 days, 1 per season.
The season is broadly synchronized across the range this month. During the nesting months, adults switch to protein-rich foods for their young, become more secretive around the nest site, and often visit feeders in quick, purposeful trips rather than lingering.
What to feed in June
- Flying ants, grasshoppers and beetles
The most flycatcher-like woodpecker; stores acorns in bark cracks and defends the larder all winter.
Expect to see adults carrying food away rather than eating it — they're feeding nestlings. Fledglings visiting feeders with their parents are a June highlight.
Full Lewis's Woodpecker diet guide → · Best feeder for Lewis's woodpeckers →
Watching Lewis's woodpeckers this month
In June, the best watching is around food rather than the nest — adults make repeated foraging trips and are most visible at dawn and dusk. Give nesting birds space: if a bird is carrying food or scolding you persistently, you're close to a nest and should back off.
If you have a Lewis's Woodpecker box up, watch from a distance for comings and goings — steady traffic means an active nest — the box guide below has the exact hole size and mounting height this species needs.
Lewis's Woodpecker month by month
Lewis's Woodpecker by state
Frequently asked
Where are Lewis's woodpeckers in June?
In June, Lewis's woodpeckers are absent in the South, year-round resident across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.
Do Lewis's woodpeckers nest in June?
Yes — June falls inside the Lewis's Woodpecker nesting season at mid-latitudes.
What do Lewis's woodpeckers eat in June?
Flying ants, grasshoppers and beetles.
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
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.