A remarkable discovery has stunned the scientific community: a hybrid jay, born from the union of two species whose lineages diverged seven million years ago. This unprecedented event, observed near San Antonio, Texas, highlights the impact of climate change on avian biodiversity.
The hybrid, a unique blend of blue and green jay characteristics, resulted from the overlapping habitats of the blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata) and the green jay (Cyanocorax yncas). Historically, these species occupied distinct ranges: green jays thrived in the warmer, tropical regions of Mexico, Central America, and southern Texas, while blue jays dominated the eastern United States, reaching as far west as Houston. However, rising temperatures and human development have altered this established pattern. Green jays have expanded their northern range, while blue jays have pushed westward, leading to an unexpected convergence in parts of Texas.
The hybrid's existence was first revealed through a social media post by a local birder. Dr. Brian Stokes, an ecologist at the University of Texas at Austin, who studies green jays, responded to this discovery and, using a mist net, successfully captured the bird. He collected a blood sample and banded the jay for future identification before releasing it back into the wild. Genetic analysis confirmed the bird's hybrid origins, likely the offspring of a female green jay and a male blue jay. This is the first documented instance of this hybridization in the wild, though a similar hybrid was bred in captivity in the 1970s and is now part of a museum collection.
The hybrid's age, at least one year old when discovered, and its subsequent return to the same location indicate potential for this to be more common than currently recognised. However, the limited overlap of the parent species’ ranges and the sparse population in the area suggest that such sightings remain rare. Dr. Stokes proposes that many such occurrences of hybridization remain undetected, emphasizing the limitations of observation in the natural world. This extraordinary discovery underscores the dynamic nature of ecosystems and the profound effects of climate change on species distribution and interaction.
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Originally published at: https://www.livescience.com/animals/birds/rare-blue-and-green-hybrid-jay-spotted-in-texas-is-offspring-of-birds-whose-lineages-split-7-million-years-ago
