New Hybrid Warbler Species Found
Lately, a new birdsong has been heard in the Summit Metro Parks. Thanks to the keen ear of Ryan Trimbath, Cuyahoga Valley National Park ranger, the bird was successfully located, and feathers were obtained for further research into its lineage.
With the help of Cleveland Museum of Natural History researchers Andrew Jones and Courtney Brennan, the bird was identified as a previously-unidentified hybrid between the Cerulean Warbler and the Northern Perula. These findings will soon be published in an upcoming edition of the Wilson Journal of Ornithology.
It is unknown whether this new hybrid developed as a result of declining bird populations that are under more pressure to reproduce, or if breeding territories are simply shifting in a way that was conducive for these two species to procreate. Yet one thing is clear—more research on this new species will need to be conducted to learn more about this incredible hybridization, and to determine the true significance of this bird.
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