Sabine's gull (/ˈseɪbɪn/SAY-bin) (Xema sabini) also known as the fork-tailed gull or xeme, is a small gull. It is the only species placed in the genusXema. It breeds in colonies on coasts and tundra, laying two or three spotted olive-brown eggs in a ground nest lined with grass. Sabine's gull is pelagic outside the breeding season. It takes a wide variety of mainly animal food, and will eat any suitable small prey.
Sabine's gull was formally described in 1819 by the naturalist Joseph Sabine under the binomial nameLarus sabini. Sabine based his description on specimens that had been collected by his brother Captain Edward Sabine who had accompanied Captain John Ross's on a voyage to look for the Northwest Passage. The birds were found breeding on low-lying islands off the west coast of Greenland in July 1818.[2] Sabine's gull is now the only species placed in the genusXema that was introduced in 1819 by the zoologist William Leach in an appendix to Ross's account of the voyage.[3][4] The genus name Xema appears to be an invented name without meaning.[5]
The Sabine's gull is usually treated as comprising a monotypic genus;[4] it is placed within the genus Larus only when the genus is enlarged.[6][7] The black bill and notched tail are almost unique within the gulls, as they are shared only with the swallow-tailed gull of the Galapagos. On the basis of this the two species were often thought to be each other's closest relatives, a hypothesis ruled out by a number of behaviour and ecological differences. Mitochondrial DNA studies confirmed that they are not closely related, and the closest relative of the Sabine's gull is now thought to be the ivory gull, another Arctic species. The two species are thought to have separated around 2 million years ago, longer ago than most groups of gull species.[8]
Geographical variation is slight; birds from Alaska are slightly darker and perhaps bigger. Most authorities recognise no races, but a few recognise four based on size and mantle (back) colour.[8] The Handbook of the Birds of the World recognises four subspecies. The nominate subspecies, X. s. sabini, breeds from the Canadian Arctic to Greenland. X. s. palaearctica (Stegman, 1934) breeds from Spitsbergen to the Taymyr Peninsula in Russia, and X. s. tschuktschorum (Portenko, 1939) breeds on the Chukotskiy Peninsula of Russia, and X. s. woznesenskii (Portenko, 1939) is found from the Gulf of Anadyr to Alaska.[9]
DescriptionEdit
Adult flying in IcelandSabine's gull flying at the fjord Trygghamna in Spitsbergen
The Sabine's gull is a small gull, 27 to 33 cm (10+1⁄2–13 in) in length and weighing 135 to 225 g (4+3⁄4–7+15⁄16 oz). The wings are long, thin and pointed with a span of between 81 and 87 cm (32–34+1⁄2 in). The bill, which is black with a yellow tip, is around 2.5 cm (1 in) long.
This species is easy to identify through its striking wing pattern. The adult has a pale grey back and wing coverts, black primary flight feathers and white secondaries. The white tail is forked. The male's hood darkens during breeding season. Young birds have a similar tricoloured wing pattern, but the grey is replaced by brown, and the tail has a black terminal band. Juveniles take two years to attain full adult plumage. Sabine's gulls have an unusual molt pattern for gulls. Fledged birds retain their juvenile plumage through the autumn and do not start molting into their first winter plumage until they have reached their wintering grounds. Adults have their complete molt in the spring prior to the spring migration, and have a partial molt in the autumn after returning to the wintering area, a reversal of the usual pattern for gulls.[10] They have a very high-pitched and squeaking call.[6]
Distribution and habitatEdit
It breeds in the Arctic and has a circumpolar distribution through northernmost North America and Eurasia. It migrates south in autumn; most of the population winters at sea in the Pacific off western South America in the cold waters of the Humboldt Current, while Greenland and eastern Canadian birds cross the Atlantic by way of the westernmost fringes of Europe to winter off southwest Africa in the cold waters of the Benguela Current. Occasionally individual Sabine's gulls can be seen off other coasts such as the northeastern United States or further east in Europe, typically following autumn storms.[11][12] It is recorded often enough inland in North America, Europe, and even Siberia, that it has been said to exhibit "cross-continental migration" in addition to migration at sea.[8]
Sabine's gull eggs
Diet and feedingEdit
The diet and feeding technique of the Sabine's gull varies by season and habitat. In the breeding season it takes a range of freshwater and terrestrial prey on the tundra. This includes insects and probably spiders, aquatic insects and insect larvae, crustaceans, fish and young birds and eggs. Young birds and eggs are taken opportunistically and rarely, but can include black turnstones, lapland longspurs and even the eggs of other Sabine's gulls and geese. Insects and insect larvae taken include terrestrial and aquatic beetles, springtails, craneflies, mosquitos, midges, and flower flies (Syrphidae).[8]
ReferencesEdit
^BirdLife International (2020). "Xema sabini". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T22694479A157413905. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22694479A157413905.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
^Sabine, Joseph (1819). "An account of a new species of gull lately discovered on the west coast of Greenland". Transactions of the Linnean Society of London. 12 (2): 520–523 [522]. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.1817.tb00244.x.
^Leach, William Elford (1819). Ross, John (ed.). A Voyage of Discovery made under the orders of the Admiralty in her Majesty's ships Isabella and Alexander, for the purpose of exploring Baffin's Bay, and enquiring into the probability of a North-West passage. London: John Murray. Appendix II, p. 57.
^ abGill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2021). "Noddies, gulls, terns, skimmers, skuas, auks". IOC World Bird List Version 11.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
^Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 410. ISBN978-1-4081-2501-4.
^ abSnow, D.W.; Perrins, C.M., eds. (1998). The Birds of the Western Palearctic (Concise ed.). ISBN978-0198540991.
^Hagemeijer, W.J.M.; Blair, M.J., eds. (1997). The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds. London: Poyser. ISBN0-85661-091-7.
^ abcdDay, Robert H.; Stenhouse, Ian J.; Gilchrist, H. Grant (2001). "Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini)". The Birds of North America Online. Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. doi:10.2173/bna.593. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
^Burger, J.; Golchfeld, M. (1996). "Family Laridae". In del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 3: Hoatzin to Auks. Barcelona, Spain: Lynx Edicions. pp. 572–623 [621]. ISBN978-84-87334-20-7.
^Montevecchi, W; Stenhouse, I; Gilchrist, H (2001). "Reproductive Biology of Sabine's Gull in the Canadian Arctic" (PDF). The Condor. 103 (1): 98–107. doi:10.1650/0010-5422(2001)103[0098:RBOSSG]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 53364581.
^Bull, John; Farrand, John Jr. (April 1984). The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds, Eastern Region. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN0-394-41405-5.
External linksEdit
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sabine, gull, xema, sabini, also, known, fork, tailed, gull, xeme, small, gull, only, species, placed, genus, xema, breeds, colonies, coasts, tundra, laying, three, spotted, olive, brown, eggs, ground, nest, lined, with, grass, pelagic, outside, breeding, seas. Sabine s gull ˈ s eɪ b ɪ n SAY bin Xema sabini also known as the fork tailed gull or xeme is a small gull It is the only species placed in the genus Xema It breeds in colonies on coasts and tundra laying two or three spotted olive brown eggs in a ground nest lined with grass Sabine s gull is pelagic outside the breeding season It takes a wide variety of mainly animal food and will eat any suitable small prey Sabine s gullAdult in IcelandConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder CharadriiformesFamily LaridaeGenus XemaLeach 1819Species X sabiniBinomial nameXema sabini Sabine 1819 Sabine islands near Melville Bay west coast of GreenlandRange Breeding Migration Non breeding Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 3 Distribution and habitat 4 Diet and feeding 5 References 6 External linksTaxonomy EditSabine s gull was formally described in 1819 by the naturalist Joseph Sabine under the binomial name Larus sabini Sabine based his description on specimens that had been collected by his brother Captain Edward Sabine who had accompanied Captain John Ross s on a voyage to look for the Northwest Passage The birds were found breeding on low lying islands off the west coast of Greenland in July 1818 2 Sabine s gull is now the only species placed in the genus Xema that was introduced in 1819 by the zoologist William Leach in an appendix to Ross s account of the voyage 3 4 The genus name Xema appears to be an invented name without meaning 5 The Sabine s gull is usually treated as comprising a monotypic genus 4 it is placed within the genus Larus only when the genus is enlarged 6 7 The black bill and notched tail are almost unique within the gulls as they are shared only with the swallow tailed gull of the Galapagos On the basis of this the two species were often thought to be each other s closest relatives a hypothesis ruled out by a number of behaviour and ecological differences Mitochondrial DNA studies confirmed that they are not closely related and the closest relative of the Sabine s gull is now thought to be the ivory gull another Arctic species The two species are thought to have separated around 2 million years ago longer ago than most groups of gull species 8 Geographical variation is slight birds from Alaska are slightly darker and perhaps bigger Most authorities recognise no races but a few recognise four based on size and mantle back colour 8 The Handbook of the Birds of the World recognises four subspecies The nominate subspecies X s sabini breeds from the Canadian Arctic to Greenland X s palaearctica Stegman 1934 breeds from Spitsbergen to the Taymyr Peninsula in Russia and X s tschuktschorum Portenko 1939 breeds on the Chukotskiy Peninsula of Russia and X s woznesenskii Portenko 1939 is found from the Gulf of Anadyr to Alaska 9 Description Edit Adult flying in Iceland Sabine s gull flying at the fjord Trygghamna in SpitsbergenThe Sabine s gull is a small gull 27 to 33 cm 10 1 2 13 in in length and weighing 135 to 225 g 4 3 4 7 15 16 oz The wings are long thin and pointed with a span of between 81 and 87 cm 32 34 1 2 in The bill which is black with a yellow tip is around 2 5 cm 1 in long This species is easy to identify through its striking wing pattern The adult has a pale grey back and wing coverts black primary flight feathers and white secondaries The white tail is forked The male s hood darkens during breeding season Young birds have a similar tricoloured wing pattern but the grey is replaced by brown and the tail has a black terminal band Juveniles take two years to attain full adult plumage Sabine s gulls have an unusual molt pattern for gulls Fledged birds retain their juvenile plumage through the autumn and do not start molting into their first winter plumage until they have reached their wintering grounds Adults have their complete molt in the spring prior to the spring migration and have a partial molt in the autumn after returning to the wintering area a reversal of the usual pattern for gulls 10 They have a very high pitched and squeaking call 6 Distribution and habitat EditIt breeds in the Arctic and has a circumpolar distribution through northernmost North America and Eurasia It migrates south in autumn most of the population winters at sea in the Pacific off western South America in the cold waters of the Humboldt Current while Greenland and eastern Canadian birds cross the Atlantic by way of the westernmost fringes of Europe to winter off southwest Africa in the cold waters of the Benguela Current Occasionally individual Sabine s gulls can be seen off other coasts such as the northeastern United States or further east in Europe typically following autumn storms 11 12 It is recorded often enough inland in North America Europe and even Siberia that it has been said to exhibit cross continental migration in addition to migration at sea 8 Sabine s gull eggsDiet and feeding EditThe diet and feeding technique of the Sabine s gull varies by season and habitat In the breeding season it takes a range of freshwater and terrestrial prey on the tundra This includes insects and probably spiders aquatic insects and insect larvae crustaceans fish and young birds and eggs Young birds and eggs are taken opportunistically and rarely but can include black turnstones lapland longspurs and even the eggs of other Sabine s gulls and geese Insects and insect larvae taken include terrestrial and aquatic beetles springtails craneflies mosquitos midges and flower flies Syrphidae 8 References Edit BirdLife International 2020 Xema sabini IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020 e T22694479A157413905 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2020 3 RLTS T22694479A157413905 en Retrieved 19 November 2021 Sabine Joseph 1819 An account of a new species of gull lately discovered on the west coast of Greenland Transactions of the Linnean Society of London 12 2 520 523 522 doi 10 1111 j 1095 8339 1817 tb00244 x Leach William Elford 1819 Ross John ed A Voyage of Discovery made under the orders of the Admiralty in her Majesty s ships Isabella and Alexander for the purpose of exploring Baffin s Bay and enquiring into the probability of a North West passage London John Murray Appendix II p 57 a b Gill Frank Donsker David Rasmussen Pamela eds July 2021 Noddies gulls terns skimmers skuas auks IOC World Bird List Version 11 2 International Ornithologists Union Retrieved 1 December 2021 Jobling James A 2010 The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names London Christopher Helm p 410 ISBN 978 1 4081 2501 4 a b Snow D W Perrins C M eds 1998 The Birds of the Western Palearctic Concise ed ISBN 978 0198540991 Hagemeijer W J M Blair M J eds 1997 The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds London Poyser ISBN 0 85661 091 7 a b c d Day Robert H Stenhouse Ian J Gilchrist H Grant 2001 Sabine s Gull Xema sabini The Birds of North America Online Ithaca Cornell Lab of Ornithology doi 10 2173 bna 593 Retrieved 6 January 2011 Burger J Golchfeld M 1996 Family Laridae In del Hoyo J Elliott A Sargatal J eds Handbook of the Birds of the World Vol 3 Hoatzin to Auks Barcelona Spain Lynx Edicions pp 572 623 621 ISBN 978 84 87334 20 7 Montevecchi W Stenhouse I Gilchrist H 2001 Reproductive Biology of Sabine s Gull in the Canadian Arctic PDF The Condor 103 1 98 107 doi 10 1650 0010 5422 2001 103 0098 RBOSSG 2 0 CO 2 S2CID 53364581 del Hoyo J Elliot A Sargatal J eds 1998 Handbook of the Birds of the World Vol 3 Barcelona Lynx Edicions p 621 ISBN 84 87334 20 2 Bull John Farrand John Jr April 1984 The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds Eastern Region New York Alfred A Knopf ISBN 0 394 41405 5 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Xema sabini Wikispecies has information related to Xema sabini BirdLife species factsheet for Xema sabini Xema sabini Avibase Sabine s gull media Internet Bird Collection Sabine s gull photo gallery at VIREO Drexel University Interactive range map of Xema sabini at IUCN Red List maps Audio recordings of Sabine s gull on Xeno canto Xema sabini in Field Guide Birds of the World on Flickr sabines gull xema sabini Sabine s gull media from ARKive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sabine 27s gull amp oldid 1169191144, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
