A remarkable discovery in Texas has given bird enthusiasts and scientists something new to talk about, a hybrid bird born from a blue jay and a green jay. Nicknamed the “grue jay,” this one-of-a-kind species was recently confirmed through DNA testing after a photo of the unusual bird surfaced near San Antonio.
Experts believe it’s the first recorded vertebrate hybrid created by two species meeting as a result of climate-driven range shifts. Once separated by thousands of kilometres, blue jays and green jays now overlap in southern Texas as warming temperatures push both species into new territories.
The result is a stunning reminder of how changing climates can bring together creatures that have evolved apart for millions of years, and how nature continues to surprise us in the most unexpected ways.
This article is for general knowledge only and is based on information. Images used belong to their respective owners, and are used for illustrative purposes only. If you wish to find out more about the species, always look at official reports.
Climate Change Brings Blue and Green Jays Together
Scientists in Texas identified a hybrid jay with a blue jay’s body and a green jay’s distinctive black facial mask. They’ve unofficially dubbed this mix the grue jay, combining green and blue. Historically, blue jays (a temperate species) and green jays (tropical) rarely overlapped in their habitats.
As global temperatures rose, however, green jays began moving north and blue jays west. Their ranges started to meet around San Antonio, creating unexpected encounters. Researchers note that these shifts in species’ ranges are creating novel ecosystems and new species interactions.
In this case, the meeting produced what may be the first vertebrate hybrid driven by climate change. The grue jay represents how warming temperatures are literally rewriting the map of where animals live and breed.
Discovery Of The Hybrid In Texas
The hybrid was first spotted in 2023 by a San Antonio backyard birder who photographed the unusual bird. University of Texas graduate student Brian Stokes saw the photo, a blue jay-like bird with an unusual black mask, and recognized it as something special. He and a colleague visited the homeowner’s yard and set up a mist net to capture the bird safely.
They failed to catch the bird on the first day, but succeeded on the second attempt. After banding it, they took a small blood sample and released the bird unharmed back into the wild.
Laboratory analysis confirmed their suspicions through DNA sequencing. The results showed roughly a 50/50 mix of blue jay and green jay genes, identifying the mother as a green jay and the father as a blue jay.
Why The Grue Jay Matters
This cross is remarkable because blue jays and green jays split from a common ancestor over seven million years ago. It may be a bellwether of changing ecosystems, as climate-driven range shifts are creating previously unobserved species interactions. It’s unusual that both parent species shifted their ranges to meet in the middle.
Famous hybrids like the grolar bear (polar bear crossed with grizzly) form when one species moves into another’s territory. Stokes notes that such hybridizations are probably much more common than we realize.
Other well-known hybrid animals include the coywolf (coyote crossed with wolf) and the narluga (narwhal crossed with beluga whale). In each case, a warming climate or shifting habitat brought parent species together, creating unexpected offspring.
