Archive · 26 Jul 2026
Sind Woodpecker: A Rare Bird of Partition
The Sind Woodpecker is a rare bird that is common in Pakistan but very rare in India.
It was first seen in India in 2011 near the border with Pakistan.
Birders and scientists are interested in this bird because it reminds them of the history of India's Partition.
The bird lives in a special desert area with few trees.
Some birders have seen the Sind Woodpecker, but it is hard to study because the area is near the border and has many security restrictions.
The bird is black and white with a red vent.
Scientists are still learning about where the Sind Woodpecker lives and how to protect it.
The Sind Woodpecker (Dendrocopos assimilis) is rare in India but abundant in Pakistan's Sind and Punjab provinces.
First recorded in 1870 in Sirsa, Haryana, and rediscovered in 2011 in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
Birders and scientists have made recent sightings, but the bird's habitat is hard to access due to border restrictions.
The bird's habitat is a desert area with sparse tree cover, known as the Shahgarh grasslands in the Desert-Thar biogeographic zone.
The Sind Woodpecker is black and white with a red vent, and it makes a distinctive 'tschwep' sound.
- Who
- Birders, researchers, and scientists
- What
- Sind Woodpecker sightings and habitat exploration
- When
- First recorded in 1870, rediscovered in 2011, recent sightings in 2025
- Where
- Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India, and Sind and Punjab, Pakistan
- Why
- To study and conserve the rare Sind Woodpecker and its habitat
Conservation Efforts
Border Restrictions
Habitat Protection
Conservation Efforts
The habitat of the Sind Woodpecker is well protected along the Rajasthan-Sind border, ensuring its survival.
Border Restrictions
Border restrictions and security measures make it difficult to explore and protect the bird's habitat in heavily securitized areas.
- Scientific Name
- Dendrocopos assimilis
- First Record
- 1870, Sirsa, Haryana
- First Photographic Record
- 2011, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
- Habitat
- Desert-Thar biogeographic zone, Shahgarh grasslands
- Sighting Locations
- Pakistan (Sind and Punjab), India (Jaisalmer, Haryana)
- Key Researchers
- Anand Pandey, Harish Thangarajan, Sudhir Paul, Uras Khan