Blue-and-green hybrid jay discovered in Texas after 7 million years apart

The newly identified bird (centre) is a hybrid of a blue jay (left) and a green jay (right), showing distinct traits from both parent species. (Image: Brian Stokes (center panel), Travis Maher/Cornell Lab of Ornithology/Macaulay Library (left) and Dan O’Brien/Cornell Lab of Ornithology/Macaulay Library (right).)

For the first time, researchers have recorded a rare hybrid between a blue jay and a green jay in the wild along San Antonio, Texas. The sighting shows how climate change and habitat shifts are forcing different species together in different ways.

How did the hybrid appear in the wild?

The unusual bird is the product of two jay species whose habitats began overlapping only a few decades ago. Blue jays, native to much of the eastern United States, and green jays, traditionally found in Mexico and Central America, were once separated by distance. But rising temperatures have pushed green jays north and human development has driven blue jays west. Due to this, both birds now overlap in areas of Texas, setting up a rare chance at interbreeding.

Why is this hybrid notable?

Scientists think this is the first recorded vertebrate hybrid to be created due to climate-change-driven range expansion. Although the two jay species have similar names, they are not closely related. Their evolutionary paths split around seven million years ago, and they do not share a genus.

The discovery of the hybrid provides significant insight into how environmental change is reorganizing species interactions.

How was the hybrid discovered and researched?

The bird was initially seen in 2023 by a resident birdwatcher, whose photograph it was posted online. University of Texas at Austin researcher Stokes came to the area and took the bird into custody with a fine-mesh mist net. The hybrid bird had blue feathers and face markings like green jays. Interestingly, it was able to imitate both species' calls.

Genetic testing revealed that the bird was probably born out of a female green jay and a male blue jay. The discovery mirrors a captive hybrid produced in the 1970s, now preserved in a Texas museum.

Could there be more hybrid jays?
The tagged bird was at least a year old when first studied and returned to the same backyard in June 2025. Scientists say more hybrids could exist but remain unnoticed due to the region’s sparse population and limited reporting.

“Hybridisation in nature is probably more common than we realise,” Stokes said. “Many cases go undocumented simply because no one sees them.”

The discovery underscores how climate-driven range shifts are rewriting species boundaries and producing unexpected results in the wild.