zebra-woodpeckerhttp://www.oed.com/dictionary/zebra-woodpecker_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_usezebra woodpecker, n.
Revised 2018

zebra woodpeckernoun

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

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

zebra, n. was revised in June 2018.