The Sabine's gull (Xema sabini) is a small gull species that is mostly found in the tundra regions of North America, sub-Arctic, high Arctic, north-western coast of Africa, and Greenland. The breeding season for these birds is summer, during which, the adults make colonies and built shallow nests on the ground for the laying of beautiful olive-brown eggs.
The young birds do not develop flight feathers until late in their lives, while those of the adults have beautiful patterns.
A description of the Sabine's gull appearance would mostly comprise of a mention of the black head, white underparts, forked tail, and gray and black colored wings and plumage. Their black colored feet also create a beautiful contrast with the yellow tip of the black bill and dark-red eye-ring.
This species is migratory and can be found in warmer areas during autumn or winter. One of the things worth witnessing is the courtship-feeding done by the male Sabine's gulls!
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Sabine's Gull Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a Sabine's gull?
The Sabine's gull is a migratory bird species that are usually pelagic and is the only gull species in the genus Xema.
What class of animal does a Sabine's gull belong to?
The scientific term for the class of animals that Sabine's gull belongs to is Aves, although, in popular language, we simply classify them as birds.
How many Sabine's gulls are there in the world?
Unfortunately, there are no studies or researches that can tell us the exact number of this gull (Sabine's) that there are in the world, however, the conservation status and the extensive range map of this species tells us that its population size is fairly stable.
There is no need to worry, we will have these North American birds around for a long time to come!
Where does a Sabine's gull live?
The Sabine's gull is a pelagic bird species, that is found in the tundra regions, as well as in the sub-Arctic and high Arctic areas. These birds migrate to coastal regions during the winter season or right before fall.
What is a Sabine's gull's habitat?
The Sabine's gull range map is spread over a vast area since it is a migratory species. These birds are mostly found in North America, while they are also spotted on the South-west coast of South America, Alaska, Africa, and Greenland.
The range of these birds covers such a large spectrum since their summer habitat is quite different than the winter or fall habitat.
Who do Sabine's gulls live with?
Sabine's gulls are usually found in large flocks, like most tern species. They have a lot of other features that resemble a member of the tern family, as opposed to the family of gulls.
How long does a Sabine's gull live?
The average lifespan of a Sabine's gull bird is said to be of more than eight years. This is much less of a lifespan as compared to a laughing gull or ring-billed gull.
How do they reproduce?
The Sabine's gull breeds during the summer season in the tundra regions of North America. If you happen to be lucky enough to see a breeding colony, you will be able to witness the beautiful courting methods taken up by the male Sabine's gulls, as they feed the female whole preys - much like a tern would.
The nests of these birds are usually just a shallow cavity in the ground that is lined with moss and grass. The female Sabine's gull lays around two to three olive-brown eggs and incubates them for a period of around 25 days.
After the eggs hatch, the Sabine's gull juvenile birds remain in the nests for a few days - during which, they are fed by the parent birds.
What is their conservation status?
According to the IUCN Red List, the conservation status of the Sabine's gull (Xema sabini) is that of Least Concern, which means that these birds have a stable population size.
However, it also becomes important to understand that while their conservation might not inspire cause for caution, the habitat of these birds is threatened by climate change and global warming.
Sabine's Gull Fun Facts
What do Sabine's gulls look like?
The Sabine's gull identification is made particularly easy through their prominent wing pattern and slightly forked tail. The head of these gorgeous birds is black in color, while the underparts are clean white.
The upper wings have a beautiful pattern of gray and black flight feathers.
The feet and legs of these birds are black in color, which creates a beautiful contrast with the monochrome scheme of the rest of the body and tail. They also have dark-red colored eye-rings and a black bill that has a yellow tip, which pops out and makes these birds all the more regal.
How cute are they?
It is hardly a matter of surprise that we think that the Sabine's gull (Xema sabini) species is extremely cute. The wing pattern formed by their flight feathers, the black head, and the contrasting gray and white-colored body makes them adorable.
To top it off, there is no way we can get over the pop of color that the yellow tip of their bill gives to their entire appearance of the Sabine's gull.
How do they communicate?
The calls or sounds of the Sabine's gulls are rather harsh and rough. When in their usually large flocks, their chattering becomes fairly loud. This is especially true for the breeding season, when all the birds are in search of a mate and males are feeding the females to court them. Breeding sites, too, are fairly loud.
How big is a Sabine's gull?
The average length of an adult Sabine's gull is about 10.6-13 in (27-33 cm), making them about half the size of an average glaucous gull!
How fast can a Sabine's gull fly?
While there is no data that can tell us the exact Sabine's gull flight speed, there is good reason to believe that these birds of North America have a fair speed, given their large wingspan.
How much does a Sabine's gull weigh?
An average Sabine's gull would weigh around 4.76-7.9 oz (135-225 g), which is half the weight of an average black-headed gull!
What are the male and female names of the species?
There are no distinct names for the male and female Sabine's gull, and hence, we have to resort to referring to them as the male Sabine's gull and the female Sabine's gull respectively.
What would you call a baby Sabine's gull?
The juvenile Sabine's gull, once it hatches out of its olive-brown egg, would be called by the same name as all babies of the class of Aves - chick or nestling!
What do they eat?
The Sabine's gull diet mostly consists of small fish and crustaceans. They also feed on marine insects and sometimes prey on the eggs of Arctic terns. The eggs, however, are an occasional delicacy, since they have to be quite meticulous when it comes to stealing some from the nests of terns.
Are they dangerous?
There is no reason to believe that this species is dangerous to humans or any other bird species. As is usual in the case of colonial birds, the Sabine's gulls are not aggressive or territorial and lead a peaceful life in their natural habitat.
Would they make a good pet?
It is unlikely that a Xema sabini (Sabine's gull) would prove to be a good pet since their habitat range is so varied and yet, particular. These pelagic birds would also not do well if isolated from a colony, and let's be honest, you would hardly ever consider having an entire flock of Sabine's gulls as your pet!
Did you know...
The Sabine's gull is named after Sir Edward Sabine, who first discovered them
This small gull species bears more resemblance to the tern family, than that of gulls.
In terms of the migration of Sabine's gull, winter is spent in coastal regions. During the summer, they return to the tundra region of North America, South America, Greenland, or the high Arctic regions for breeding. Breeding habits including feeding during the courting period.
The Sabine's gull wings have a beautiful pattern that consists of dark gray and black flight feathers.
The breeding adults have a beautiful plumage during the summer.
Do Sabine's gulls migrate?
During the autumn or fall season, right before winter, the adult Sabine's gull migrates to places of the world such as the south coast of Africa.
Why are they called Xeme?
There is a very simple description of the reason why these birds are called Xeme - it is because of the name of their genus!
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our giant ibis facts and glossy ibis facts pages.
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