A Rare Hybrid Heron Is Spotted By Birdwatchers In France

Birdwatchers in France think they’ve seen a wild case of hybridization between a grey heron and a little egret. Should that be a hergret or an egron?

The hybrid waterbird with “mixed features” was spotted near Park Marquenterre in the Somme department of northern France in July 2024, according to French birdwatching outlet Ornithomedia.com.

Based on its unusual body shape and plumage with white and grey feathers, it’s believed the bird is the product of inter-species breeding between a little egret ( Egretta garzetta ) and a grey heron ( Ardea cinerea ), both of which nest in the park’s Corsican Pine trees.

It’s reportedly the third time a hybrid of these two species has been seen in Park Marquenterre, one instance occurring in 2018 and another in 2022.

Both species are wading birds commonly found in wetlands that belong to the family Ardeidae. They share many similarities – like their nesting behavior and migration patterns – but they have some distinct differences.

Little egrets are smaller, with a height of about 55 to 65 centimeters (21-25 inches), while grey herons have a height of about 84 to 102 centimeters (33-40 inches). Little egrets also have pure white plumage with black legs and yellow feet, but grey herons possess a black and grey body with white heads.

While cases of hybridization between different species in the Ardeidae family aren’t unheard of, this latest discovery in France is unusual because the species belong to a different genus, meaning they are from relatively distant branches of the family tree.

Biologically speaking, hybridization is defined as the breeding of two organisms from different species. Occasionally, members of different genera can reproduce , although it is less common because the genetic differences are too great.

While the idea of inter-species breeding might seem strange, it’s surprisingly common in the Tree of Life. A study from University College London suggested that up to 25 percent of plant species and 10 percent of animal species are involved in hybridization and introgression with other species.

Even modern humans are the product of hybridization. Throughout our history, we have prolifically interbred with Neanderthals, a similar yet different species of hominin, as well as Denisovans. The legacy of that interbreeding still lives on today as people with European or East Asian ancestry can possess up to 3 percent of DNA from Neanderthals.