🐦Rare Bird Sighting at Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary: Sabine’s Gull Returns to India

📍 Location: Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary, Gujarat, India

🗓 Date Spotted: June 2, 2025

A Rare Visitor Returns After Over a Decade

In a delightful surprise for bird watchers and wildlife lovers, the Sabine’s Gull, a rare Arctic seabird, has been spotted at the Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary in Gujarat. This marks the first recorded sighting of the bird in India since 2013, when it was previously seen in Kerala. The news has sparked excitement among ornithologists and conservationists across the country.

🌿About Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary

Location and Geography

·       Located in Gujarat, about 64 km from Ahmedabad

·       Natural shallow lake with muddy lagoons and 360 islets

·       Covers an area of 120.82 sq. km

·       Declared a bird sanctuary in 1969

·       Recognized as a Ramsar site in 2012 due to its ecological importance

📖 History and Significance

·         Originated in the 15th century due to a dam on the Sabarmati River

·         Initially used for irrigation and drinking water

·         Recognized by the British and then the Gujarat government

·         Now a haven for over 250 bird species and various wild animals

🌱 Flora at Nalsarovar

·         48 species of algae

·         72 species of flowering plants

·         Common plants: Cyperus, Scirpus, Typha, Vallisneria, Ruppia

🐦 Fauna: Birds and Animals

                      
                                   Greater Flamingos at Nalsarovar  

·         Birds: Flamingos, pelicans, cranes, ducks, herons, storks, sarus cranes, spoonbills, and many others

·         Other animals: Wild ass, mongoose, jungle cat, jackal, fox, wolf, hyena

❄️ About Sabine’s Gull (Xema sabini)

The Sabine’s Gull (Xema sabini), also known as the fork-tailed gull or xeme, is a small seabird with a unique appearance:

• Striking wing pattern: pale grey back, black-tipped wings, white secondaries
• Forked tail – a key identifier
• Breeds in Arctic regions: North America, Russia, Greenland, and Svalbard

·         Features: Grey back, black-tipped wings, forked white tail

   IUCN Status: Least Concern, though rarely seen in India.

   Last seen in India in 2013 (Kerala) before the 2025 Gujarat sighting

🛡️Why This Sighting Matters

The reappearance of Sabine’s Gull after 11 years signals the ecological richness and global importance of Indian wetlands like Nalsarovar. Such sightings help scientists track migration patterns and environmental changes, emphasizing the need for stronger wetland conservation policies. Encourages better tracking of bird migration patterns.

MCQs

Q1. Where is Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary located?
A. Rajasthan
B. Madhya Pradesh
C. Gujarat ✅
D. Maharashtra

Q2. Which river’s check dam led to the formation of Nalsarovar lake?
A. Narmada
B. Tapi
C. Sabarmati ✅
D. Mahi

Q3. When was Nalsarovar declared a Ramsar Site?
A. 1999
B. 2005
C. 2012 ✅
D. 2020

Q4. What is the IUCN status of Sabine’s Gull?
A. Endangered
B. Vulnerable
C. Near Threatened
D. Least Concern ✅