Sabine’s gull

Sabine’s gull is a Small Arctic bird, breeding in the high Arctic regions of North America, Greenland, and parts of Siberia. During migration, it can be seen far offshore, heading to its wintering grounds off the coasts of West Africa and South America. Occasionally shows up at large inland bodies of water.

The diet of the Sabine’s gull varies with the seasons. During the breeding season, it feeds on insects and small crustaceans. When migrating or in winter, it turns to a marine diet, dining on plankton, small fish, and other surface-dwelling organisms, often following marine activity like whale movements to locate food.

On September 7, 2024, an exciting first-time observation of the Sabine’s gull was reported in the Kyiv region. This bird was spotted on a pond in the village of Krenichi. This sighting marked the first record of this bird not only for the Kyiv region but also for Ukraine as a whole.

This unexpected observation suggests that the bird’s migration path may have been altered, potentially due to environmental changes, weather patterns, or shifts in food availability during migration.