Schistocerca americana
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
Schistocerca americana is a species of grasshopper in the family Acrididae known commonly as the American grasshopper and American bird grasshopper. It is native to North America, where it occurs in the eastern United States, Mexico, and the Bahamas. Occasional, localized outbreaks of this grasshopper occur, and it is often referred to as a locust, though it lacks the true swarming form of its congener, the desert locust (S. gregaria).
The adult male of the species is up to 4.5 cm (1.8 in) long, and the adult female may reach 5.5 cm (2.2 in). The body of the adult is generally yellow-brown in color and the wings are pale with large brown spots. The nymphs are different in appearance. They change color as they mature and their coloration is a polyphenic trait – influenced by environmental conditions, producing multiple forms from one genotype. This is not uncommon among grasshoppers. In this species, the coloration of the nymphs is especially influenced by temperature. Nymphs are various shades of green, yellow, or red, usually with a pattern of black markings. They are often red at lower temperatures, but at higher temperatures, only green and yellow shades occur.... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Padre Island National Seashore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Congaree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Austin | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Dallas | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | San Antonio | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Orlando | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an American Bird Grasshopper sighting in Austin on a given day, based on 176 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 178th most-seen of the 1624 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January–May and July–November
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an American Bird Grasshopper in Austin on a given day, against under 5% in June and December, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most American Bird Grasshopper sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 10 cities where we can rate American Bird Grasshopper sightings, Austin ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Houston (United States, about 10%).
Same genus: Schistocerca
The closest relatives of the American Bird Grasshopper that you can see in Austin (genus Schistocerca, Bird Grasshoppers) are Obscure Bird Grasshopper (about 10%), Spotted Bird Grasshopper (about 10%) and Gray Bird Grasshopper (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the American Bird Grasshopper is recorded against all the insects logged in Austin (176 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
