Sabine's Gull

1 day ago

Not yet spotted on Fladder

A small, elegant Arctic gull known for its distinctive black primary wedge in the wing and graceful, buoyant flight. It is highly migratory, travelling long distances between its breeding and wintering grounds.

Where to spot

Breeds in the High Arctic tundra of North America, Greenland, and Eurasia. Spends the non-breeding season pelagically in the Southern Hemisphere, mainly off the coasts of South America and Southern Africa.

How to spot

In flight, look for the striking tri-colored wing pattern: dark black primaries, a white wedge between primaries and secondaries, and grey inner wing. Adults have a dark grey hood with a narrow black border. Often seen feeding on insects in tundra or small fish at sea.

When to spot

Breeding season June-August. Seen on migration in coastal and offshore waters during spring (May) and autumn (August-September). Present in wintering grounds from October to April.

Where to spot

How to spot

When to spot

Breeding season June-August. Seen on migration in coastal and offshore waters during spring (May) and autumn (August-September). Present in wintering grounds from October to April.

Credits: By Gregory "Slobirdr" Smith - Sabine's Gull (Larus sabini) (Xema sabini), CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40574223

Sabine's Gulls have one of the longest migratory routes of any gull species, with some individuals travelling from the Arctic breeding grounds to wintering areas off the coast of Southern Africa.

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