Uta stansburiana
Silhouette: Sam Fellows · PhyloPic
In 3 days >90%
The common side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana) is a species of side-blotched lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae. The species is native to dry regions of the western United States and northern Mexico. It is notable for having a unique form of polymorphism wherein each of the three different male morphs utilizes a different strategy in acquiring mates. The three morphs compete against each other following a pattern of rock paper scissors, where one morph has advantages over another but is outcompeted by the third.
The specific epithet, stansburiana, is in honor of Captain Howard Stansbury of the US Corps of Topographical Engineers, who collected the first specimens while leading the 1849-1851 expedition to explore and survey the Great Salt Lake of Utah.
The systematics and taxonomy of the widespread and variable lizards of the genus Uta is much disputed. Countless forms and morphs have been described as subspecies or even distinct species. The forms which occur in most of Mexico (except Baja California) have been recognized as a very distinct species, the eastern side-blotched lizard, Uta stejnegeri.
Populations from San Benito and Cedros Islands... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Death Valley National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Bahía de Loreto National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 7 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 9 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Cabo Pulmo National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 11 | Guadalupe Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States |
Very likely
About 90% of wildlife watchers report a Common Side-blotched Lizard sighting in Joshua Tree National Park on a given day, based on 2,835 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the most-seen of the 39 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February–May and September–November
In those months about 90% of wildlife watchers report a Common Side-blotched Lizard in Joshua Tree National Park on a given day, against about 70% in July–August and December, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Side-blotched Lizard sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 12 parks where we can rate Common Side-blotched Lizard sightings, Joshua Tree National Park ranks 2nd at about 90%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Death Valley National Park (United States, about 90%). All parks ranked.
Same family: Phrynosomatidae
The closest relatives of the Common Side-blotched Lizard that you can see in Joshua Tree National Park (family Phrynosomatidae, Phrynosomatid Lizards) are Desert Spiny Lizard (about 70%), Western Fence Lizard (about 60%) and Desert Horned Lizard (about 50%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Side-blotched Lizard is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Joshua Tree National Park (2,835 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.
