Meet the ‘grue jay’: A rare, hybrid bird has been discovered in the US

(CNN) - Researchers in Texas say they’ve identified the first-known wild hybrid between a blue jay and a green jay.

According to a study published earlier this month in the journal “Ecology and Evolution,” the unusual bird, now known as a “grue jay,” was spotted in 2023 near San Antonio.

Researchers say it carries traits of both species, like blue feathers and white spots on its wings, similar to a blue jay, but markings and vocalizations of a green jay.

Genetic testing confirmed the offspring came from a male blue jay and female green jay.

Scientists believe this hybrid is the result of the two species’ habitat ranges overlapping for the first time, driven, in part, by climate change.

They call the discovery a “biological curveball” since blue and green jays are not closely related. They are also usually known to form long-term bonds within their own species.

Only one other example of a blue jay-green jay hybrid exists; it was born in captivity in the 1960s.