Gujarat : Rare Arctic Bird ‘Sabine’s Gull’ Spotted at Nalsarovar

Gandhinagar, Gujarat —  The globally rare Arctic bird, Sabine’s Gull, has made a rare appearance at Gujarat’s Nalsarovar. On the morning of May 30, 2025, at approximately 9:00 AM, staff of the Forest Department at the Nalsarovar Wildlife Sanctuary—a Ramsar site—spotted the rare Sabine’s Gull.

It was a moment of thrill, pride, and joy for bird enthusiasts and ornithologists alike. The bird was observed in the open waters of the wetland by sanctuary staff and visiting bird watchers. Furthermore, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary Division, Dr. Sakkira Begum, stated that Gujarat is achieving significant progress in wildlife conservation and promotion. As a result, birds from across the globe are increasingly choosing Gujarat as their seasonal home—a matter of great pride for the state’s people.

Further elaborating on the observation, Dr. Sakkira Begum stated that the sighting was exceptional, as Sabine’s Gull rarely migrates to the Indian subcontinent. According to the public bird-watching database eBird, such occurrences are extremely rare. The last recorded sighting in India was in 2013, in Kerala. The bird observed at Nalsarovar was photographed by birding guide Gani Sama.

A Distinctive Arctic Gull:

Sabine’s Gull is a small and strikingly beautiful gull, notable for its sharp black hood, clean grey upperparts, white nape, and, most uniquely, its tri-colored wings—marked in black, white, and grey. It is one of only two gull species with a black bill tipped with yellow and a forked, notched tail.

The species primarily breeds in the high-latitude Arctic regions of North America, Greenland, and Siberia, nesting near wet tundra areas. For winter, it migrates to tropical upwelling zones—highly productive marine areas off the coasts of South America and western Africa. It does not typically pass through India during migration, making this sighting both rare and significant. Experts believe that the bird may have strayed from its usual migratory route. Such occurrences are of great interest and value to ornithologists and avian researchers.

Prominence of Nalsarovar in Indian Ornithology:

Nalsarovar is among India’s largest and most ecologically significant wetland sanctuaries, home to numerous migratory and resident bird species such as flamingos, pelicans, ducks, and herons. The rare appearance of Sabine’s Gull further underscores the sanctuary’s global importance in bird conservation and elevates its status in international ornithological research.

This sighting emphasizes the importance of continued monitoring and documentation by Forest Department staff and bird watchers. Rare observations such as this help researchers better understand bird migration routes, behavioral patterns, and the effects of environmental and climatic changes.

The Forest Department encourages all visitors and researchers to report any unusual or noteworthy bird sightings, thereby contributing to the growing understanding of India’s rich avian diversity.