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Melanistic Swallow, Gilbert Water Ranch, Maricopa County

This melanistic swallow was discovered by Dave Pearson and photographed by Cristine Robson, Josh Weaver and John Bergstrom on 19 March 2012.  It was flying in among several hundred swallows including Northern Rough-winged, Cliff, Tree and Violet-green.

Birds in abnormal plumage are always a challenge to identify and there is no concensus on the identity of this swallow.  There are no swallows in the New World that normally show this plumage, so it is not likely that it is a rare vagrant.  It is more likely a melanistic individual or its plumage has somehow become soiled. Some experts feel it is a melanistic Northern Rough-winged Swallow and others lean toward Cliff Swallow.   There are several other reports and photographs of melanistic Northern Rough-winged Swallows from easten North America, but few or none for Cliff Swallow.

9 March 2012, photos by Cristine Robson and Josh Weaver

 

19 March 2012, photo by John Bergstrom

All photos are copyrighted© by photographer

Submitted on 21 March 2012

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