ID Keys: Striking wing pattern in flight of black outerprimaries and
white inner primaries and secondaries. Dark grey head with black
bottom border in breeding plumage.
Sabine's Gulls are small
gulls normally found in the high Arctic in summer, and off the continental shelf
in the Southern Hemisphere in the winter. After breeding season, they
spend the vast majority of their time at sea, and are only rarely seen from
shore. However, in the fall a few birds (primarily immatures) might be
found far inland, such as the young bird at the right which was photographed on
the Missouri River in Pierre in September 2003.
Habitat
Summer
breeding grounds are on the low marshy Arctic Tundra near the coastline. In
migration and in winter, they prefer to stay a several miles offshore over the
continental shelf where upwelling of cold water occurs. Only rarely are
migrants found inland.
Diet
Primarily feeds on insects and aquatic
insect larvae during the summer breeding season. Also will feed on
small crustaceans, mollusks, small fish, and marine worms in all seasons.
Behavior
Forages by swimming and plucking items
from the water's surface, or by flying and dipping down to the water's
surface. Will also walk along shorelines in search of food.
Breeding
Non-breeder in South Dakota
Song
High pitched squeaking notes
Migration
Summers in the high
Arctic. Winters in the Southern Hemisphere off the coast of western South
America and South Africa.
