Lewis Woodpecker Greeting Card by Gene Irvin (1934–2026)

Lewis Woodpecker | Art Print & Greeting Card by Gene Irvin (1934–2026)

The Lewis Woodpecker is one of North America’s most distinctive — and most unusual — woodpeckers. Unlike its relatives, it rarely drills for insects; instead it catches them on the wing like a flycatcher, soaring out from a perch with slow, crow-like wingbeats. Gene Irvin captured it in 1981 in this early stippled pen and ink portrait: dark greenish-black back, rosy-pink belly, dark red face, perched quietly on a branch.

Named for Meriwether Lewis, who first documented the species during the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804–1806, the Lewis Woodpecker inhabits open ponderosa pine forests and burned woodlands of the American West. Its population has declined significantly in recent decades due to habitat loss — making this a species of growing conservation concern.

Available in:

• 8×10 Giclée print
• Greeting card with envelope

Why collectors love it: A rare subject in wildlife art — the Lewis Woodpecker is a favorite of serious birders and western wildlife enthusiasts. Gene’s 1981 portrait is one of his earliest signed works, giving it added historical significance.

Shipping & Details: Ships from Arizona. Prints flat-packed. Greeting cards ship First Class. A lasting piece from the collected works of Gene Irvin (1934–2026).