Schistocerca americana
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
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 Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 303rd most-seen of the 822 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report an American Bird Grasshopper in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January–February, June–August and November, 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.
6th of 7
Of the 7 parks where we can rate American Bird Grasshopper sightings, Great Smoky Mountains National Park ranks 6th at about 10%. The best odds are in Padre Island National Seashore (United States, about 20%), Congaree National Park (United States, about 10%) and Big Cypress National Preserve (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Acrididae
The closest relatives of the American Bird Grasshopper that you can see in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (family Acrididae, Short-horned Grasshoppers) are Wingless Mountain Grasshopper (about 10%), Pine Tree Spur-Throat Grasshopper (about 10%) and Green-Striped 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 Great Smoky Mountains National Park (16 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
