Birds
Sabine's Gull
Xema sabini · also called Sabine's gulls
Flashing a bold triangular wing pattern found on no other gull, a Sabine’s gull cuts a distinctive silhouette against the Arctic sky, its deeply forked tail giving it a tern-like grace unusual for a member of the gull family.
Overview
Sabine’s gull, Xema sabini, is a striking, forked-tailed gull native to polar and ocean habitat across the Arctic region, wintering in productive waters off South America and southern Africa. Its bold triangular wing pattern of black, white, and grey, unusually deep tail fork, and exceptionally long migration to the far side of the globe make it one of the most visually distinctive and far-travelling gulls found anywhere in the world.
A gull built like a tern
Sabine’s gull’s deeply forked tail sets it apart from almost every other gull, giving it a lighter, more tern-like appearance in flight that pairs strikingly with its unmistakable black, white, and grey wing pattern.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread and stable across suitable polar and ocean habitat throughout the Arctic region.
Sabine's Gull: common questions
How can you identify Sabine's gull in flight?
This species has a distinctive triangular wing pattern of black, white, and grey unlike any other gull, combined with a deeply forked tail more typical of a tern, making it one of the more instantly recognisable gulls in flight.
Who was Sabine's gull named after?
This species is named after Edward Sabine, a nineteenth-century scientist who took part in Arctic exploration expeditions during which the species was first documented.
How far does Sabine's gull migrate?
This species undertakes an exceptionally long migration, travelling from Arctic breeding grounds all the way to productive waters off the coasts of South America and southern Africa each year.
Where does Sabine's gull breed?
This species breeds on Arctic tundra close to the coast, nesting on the ground in small, loose colonies across its Arctic range.