Abstract
Lewis’s Woodpeckers (Melanerpes lewis) are opportunistic foragers well known for their propensity to capture insects in flight. Here, I describe observations of a group of woodpeckers actively foraging on aquatic invertebrates along a cobble bar on the upper Rogue River, Oregon. Standing on exposed cobbles and probing the shallow water flowing among the cobbles, the birds were observed capturing and consuming invertebrate prey. There was an abundant and diverse assemblage of invertebrates inhabiting this shallow water habitat, and snails and large stonefly nymphs were identified as among the taxa being consumed.
Los pájaros carpinteros de Lewis (Melanerpes lewis) actúan como forrajeadores oportunistas conocidos por su propensión a capturar insectos en vuelo. Aquí describo observaciones de un grupo de carpinteros que forrajeaba activamente sobre invertebrados acuáticos a lo largo de una barra de cantos rodados en el tramo superior del río Rogue, Oregón. Las aves se posaban sobre los cantos expuestos y exploraban el agua somera que fluía entre ellos; durante este comportamiento capturaban y consumían presas invertebradas. En este hábitat de aguas poco profundas habitaba un conjunto abundante y diverso de invertebrados, y entre los taxones consumidos identifiqué caracoles y ninfas grandes de plecópteros.
Recommended Citation
Parker, Michael S.
(2026)
"Observations of Lewis's Woodpeckers (Melanerpes lewis) foraging on stream-dwelling benthic invertebrates,"
Western North American Naturalist: Vol. 86:
No.
1, Article 18.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/wnan/vol86/iss1/18