Sabine's Gull

Xema sabini

Introduction

This high-Arctic breeding gull is a scarce migrant to Britain & Ireland, although much commoner in autumn than spring and on Atlantic than North Sea coasts; it is also not infrequently recorded inland.

Key Stats

Scarce

188.8g

2-2

<1%

BTO Records

8k records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

No current data

No data

No current data

66.7% expansion

Identification

Curated resources to aid in the identification of Sabine's Gull

ID Videos

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This section features BTO training videos headlining this species, or featuring it as a potential confusion species.

Kittiwake & Other Small Gulls

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

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This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

Species of European Conservation Concern

Least Concern

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Least Concern

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

Listed on the Annexes of*

Bern(III)

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

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BOU Category

Source

First Record*

Pembroke, 1839 (Antrim, 1822)

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

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Population trends of this scarce species are not routinely monitored.

Distribution

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This scarcity is too rarely reported to map distribution.

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007 and indicate how widespread a species is.

No. occupied in winter

% occupied in winter

1.1%

Bird Atlas distribution maps show where bird species breed or winter in Britain and Ireland. For breeding maps, larger dots indicate higher certainty the species bred in that area.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

To view and download up-to-date distribution information aggregated from across BTO and partnership surveys and schemes, see our data holdings on the NBN Atlas.

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Distribution Change

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This scarcity is too rarely reported to map distribution change.

Change in occupied 10-km squares in the UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007-11 and indicate by how much occupied areas have expanded or contracted over recent decades.

% change in range in winter (1981–84 to 2007–11)

66.7 %

Seasonality

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Sabine's Gulls are scarce coastal and pelagic passage migrants, usually recorded during autumn migration, most often in September.

Weekly pattern of occurrence

The graph shows when the species is present in the UK, with taller bars indicating a higher likelihood of encountering the species in appropriate regions and habitats.

Phenology graph — Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about Sabine's Gull movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

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View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

European movements

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EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for Sabine's Gull, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Productivity and Nesting

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Nesting timing

Typical (exceptional) number of broods

Source

Egg measurements

Typical length x width

45x32 mm

Mass (% shell)

24g (6%)

Source

Clutch Size

Typical number

2-2 eggs

Observed minimum and maximum

1-3 eggs

Source

Incubation

Incubation by

Male + Female

Typical duration

25-23 days

Source

Fledging

Type of chick

Semi-precocial, downy

Survival and Longevity

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Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Sabine's Gull

Classification and Codes

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Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Laridae
Scientific name: Xema sabini
Authority: Sabine, 1819

BTO 2-letter code: AB
BTO 5-letter code: SABGU
Euring code number: 5790

Alternate species names

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Catalan: gavineta de Sabine
Czech: racek Sabinuv
Danish: Sabinemåge
Dutch: Vorkstaartmeeuw
Estonian: harksaba-kajakas
Finnish: tiiralokki
French: Mouette de Sabine

German: Schwalbenmöwe
Hungarian: fecskesirály
Icelandic: Þernumáfur
Irish: Sléibhín Sabine
Italian: Gabbiano di Sabine
Latvian: škeltastes kaija
Lithuanian: žuvedrinis kiras
Norwegian: Sabinemåke

Polish: mewa obrozna
Portuguese: gaivota-de-sabine
Slovak: cajka vidlochvostá
Slovenian: lastovicji galeb
Spanish: Gaviota de Sabine
Swedish: tärnmås
Welsh: Gwylan Sabine

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

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Sabine&#039;s Gull

Sabine's Gull

Introduction

Key Stats

Identification

ID Videos

Kittiwake & Other Small Gulls

Status and Trends

Conservation Status

Population Size

Population Change

Distribution

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

European Distribution Map

Distribution Change

Change in occupied 10-km squares in the UK

Seasonality

Weekly pattern of occurrence

Movement

Britain & Ireland movement

European movements

Biology

Productivity and Nesting

Nesting timing

Egg measurements

Clutch Size

Incubation

Fledging

Survival and Longevity

Classification, names and codes

Classification and Codes

Alternate species names

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Search by common or scientific name

Sabine's Gull