zebra woodpecker, n.

zebra-woodpecker
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zebra-woodpecker_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2018

# zebra woodpeckernoun

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zebra woodpecker mean?

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zebra woodpecker. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.

This word is used in North American English.

### Where does the noun zebra woodpecker come from?

Earliest known use

1880s

The earliest known use of the noun zebra woodpecker is in the 1880s.

OED's earliest evidence for zebra woodpecker is from 1884, in the writing of Elliott Coues, naturalist and historian.

### Nearby entries

1. zebra rhomb, n. 1770–1844
2. zebra rock, n. 1895–
3. zebra rush, n. 1882–
4. zebra shark, n. 1804–
5. zebra skin, n. 1774–
6. zebra spider, n. 1806–
7. zebra suit, n. 1853–
8. zebra swallowtail, n. 1855–
9. zebra wolf, n. 1808–
10. zebrawood, n. 1768–
11. zebra woodpecker, n.1884–
12. zebrina, n. 1846–
13. zebrine, adj. a1810–
14. zebroid, adj. & n. 1881–
15. zebrule, n. 1899–
16. zebu, n. 1771–
17. zecchino, n. 1572–
18. Zechstein, n. 1798–
19. zed, n. c1175–
20. zedbed, n. 1954–
21. zedoary, n. Old English–

## Meaning & use

North American (now rare).

1. 1884–
   Any of several American woodpeckers of the genus Melanerpes, having black and white barring on the back and wings; spec. the red-bellied woodpecker, M. carolinus, of eastern North America.
   1. 1884

      > Centurus... Zebra Woodpeckers.

      E. Coues, Key to North American Birds (ed. 2) iii. 487 (heading)
   2. 1937

      > ‘Zebra woodpecker’ is a nickname for the Red-bellied Woodpecker..of the eastern United States.

      T. G. Pearson in G. H. Grosvenor & A. Wetmore, Book of Birds vol. II. 70 (caption)
   3. 2009

      > Also known as the ‘zebra’ woodpecker, this noisy bird is the only bar-backed woodpecker with an entirely red crown.

      K. C. Bender, Texas Wildscapes vi. 63/1
   birds North American English
   1. greater spotted woodpecker 1673–
      = great spotted woodpecker, n.
   2. lesser spotted woodpecker 1673–
      A common Eurasian woodpecker, Dendrocopos minor, having predominantly white and black plumage and (in the male) a scarlet crown; also called barred…
   3. spotted woodpecker 1673–
      Any of several woodpeckers with black and white spotted plumage; (now) spec. a member of the Eurasian genus Dendrocopos, esp. the common D. major; =…
   4. great spotted woodpecker 1738–
      A common Eurasian woodpecker, Dendrocopos major, with predominantly black and white plumage; also called greater spotted woodpecker, pied woodpecker.
   5. black woodpecker 1740–
      Any of various woodpeckers with predominantly black plumage; esp. (a) the large Dryocopus martius of northern Eurasia (also called great black woodp…
   6. downy woodpecker 1785–
      A small North American woodpecker, Dendrocopos pubescens, with black and white plumage and, in the male, a red patch on the back of the head.
   7. ivory-bill 1787–
      A species of woodpecker, Picus or Campephilus principalis: cf. ivory-billed, adj.
   8. redhead 1816–
      Any of various other birds with a red or reddish head, or red markings on the head; esp. (a) British regional the pochard, Aythya ferina; (b) Nort…
   9. Gila 1858–
      In full Gila woodpecker. A woodpecker native to desert regions of the southwestern United States and western Mexico, Melanerpes uropygialis, having…
   10. zebra woodpecker 1884–
       Any of several American woodpeckers of the genus Melanerpes, having black and white barring on the back and wings; spec. the red-bellied woodpecker…
   View in Historical Thesaurus

Originally published as part of the entry for zebra, n.

zebra, n. was revised in June 2018.