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Distribution
Sabine's Gull Xema sabini
Occurs extremely sparsely around the whole island group, but is somewhat more common on the north and east sides. Usually seen singly and often together with foraging Arctic Terns and Kittiwakes, and often by the edge of glaciers. The species seems to be gradually becoming more common and is frequently being seen at new sites. Breeding has been proved at only a handful of localities, but probably about 50 pairs breed.     

Features: Ca. 30 cm, 150-215 gram. ♂=♀. A small slim and elegant gull which in flight can resemble a tern. Easily recognizable by the dark hood and distinctive wing pattern. The young can be confused with the young of other small gulls, for example of Kittiwake. Has a distinctive hoarse, grating scream that can remind one of a tern. The warning call is a repeated «krii-kriii» that can resemble the warning call of a Black-headed Gull.

​Breeding: Normally nests next to Arctic Tern colonies and warns clearly if one disturbs them at the nest site. Lays two or three eggs in a hollow on the ground, lined with a little dry grass and plant remains. The eggs are clearly larger than those of terns. 

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  • Home
  • Hjem
  • Bird observations
    • Recent photos
  • Species
    • Regular breeding birds >
      • Pink-footed Goose
      • Barnacle Goose
      • Brent Goose
      • Common Eider
      • King Eider
      • Long-tailed Duck
      • Red-throated Diver
      • Northern Fulmar
      • Svalbard Rock Ptarmigan
      • Ringed Plover
      • Ruddy Turnstone
      • Dunlin
      • Purple Sandpiper
      • Grey Phalarope
      • Arctic Skua
      • Great Skua
      • Ivory Gull
      • Black-legged Kittiwake
      • Glaucous Gull
      • Great Black-backed Gull
      • Arctic Tern
      • Brünnich's Guillemot
      • Common Guillemot
      • Razorbill
      • Little Auk
      • Atlantic Puffin
      • Black Guillemot
      • Snow Bunting
    • Scarce breeding birds >
      • Common Teal
      • Northern Pintail
      • Common Scoter
      • Great Northern Diver
      • Northern Gannet
      • European Golden Plover
      • Sanderling
      • Red Knot
      • Red-necked Phalarope
      • Long-tailed Skua
      • Sabine's Gull
      • European Herring Gull
      • Lesser Black-backed Gull
      • Common Gull
      • Northern Wheatear
      • Redwing
      • Meadow Pipit
      • Lapland Bunting
    • Annual non-breeders >
      • Gyrfalcon
      • Snowy Owl
      • Pectoral Sandpiper
      • Common Redshank
      • Pomarine Skua
      • Ross's Gull
      • Black-headed Gull
      • Iceland Gull
      • Whooper Swan
      • Bean Goose
      • Greater White-fronted Goose
      • Greylag Goose
      • Snow Goose
      • Canada Goose
      • Cackling Goose
      • Eurasian Wigeon
      • Mallard
      • Tufted Duck
      • Common Goldeneye
      • Steller's Eider
      • Red-breasted Merganser
      • Eurasian Oystercatcher
      • Common Snipe
      • Whimbrel
      • Barn Swallow
      • White Wagtail
      • Bohemian Waxwing
      • Common Blackbird
      • Fieldfare
      • Song Trush
      • Common Redpoll
      • Arctic Redpoll
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