Schistocerca americana
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
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 |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report an American Bird Grasshopper sighting in Padre Island National Seashore on a given day, based on 27 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 8th most-seen of the 74 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April and August–September
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report an American Bird Grasshopper in Padre Island National Seashore on a given day, against under 5% in November to January, 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.
Yes
Of the 7 parks where we can rate American Bird Grasshopper sightings, Padre Island National Seashore has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come 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 Padre Island National Seashore (family Acrididae, Short-horned Grasshoppers) are Phaedrotettix accola (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 Padre Island National Seashore (27 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.
