This is an adult in breeding plumage. Although it appears to have a chest injury, it can fly well. This unique gull breeds in the Arctic and migrates into the Southern Hemisphere where the entire population winters in the tropics and subtropics. In our area, they are mostly encountered at sea over the open ocean but occasional stragglers such as this show up on shore or inland. This species was described by Joseph Sabine in 1818. It is normally improper to name a species after yourself, but in this case, Joseph Sabine claimed he was naming it after his brother, Sir. Edward Sabine who provided the first specimen. Both apparently pronounced the family name "SAB-in." The only member of its genus, the name Xema apparently has no other meaning.
