ML618399709

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

*rare. One individual (carrying food!) that was extensively black throughout the nape and onto the back, turning into black-centered scalloping on the center of the back an contrasting with a paler gray rump. However, even the rump feathers were darker-centered than usual. Wing coverts were dark-centered as well. The throat was almost entirely black, and the eye arcs were minimal. The breast was a deep rufous with minimal pale scalloping. We observed this individual point blank on a trail on the west side for a couple minutes until it flew off toward the interior carrying several food items, including an earth worm, a caterpillar, and a moth. "Nigrideus" has been treated as a subspecies in far northeastern North America, but its status as a legitimate taxon is in dispute. This example of an individual carrying food and therefore "confirmed" breeding in Cleveland in May may demonstrate that at least some individuals outside of the nigrideus range can be similarly dark and are probably indistinguishable from nigrideus. Despite its uncertain status, I think for now recording these dark individuals as nigrideus helps shed light on the distribution of nigrideus-like robins, and also remains consistent with previous treatment until this designation is changed or removed. Interestingly, I observed a different very dark robin I recorded as nigrideus this past winter ~7 miles to the northeast, my first in seven years of searching for this questionable taxon out of range- https://ebird.org/checklist/S161735332

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS R5

Lens

RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM + EXTENDER RF1.4x

ISO

2500

Focal length

700 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/10.0

Shutter speed

1/400 sec

Dimensions

4329 pixels x 2887 pixels

Original file size

3.56 MB