Phrynosoma hernandesi
Silhouette: Caleb M. Gordon · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%
The greater short-horned lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi), also commonly known as the mountain short-horned lizard or Hernández's short-horned lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae. The species is endemic to western North America. Like other horned lizards, it is often called a "horned toad" or "horny toad", but it is not a toad at all. It is a reptile, not an amphibian. It is one of five native species of lizards in Canada.
The genus Phrynosoma, means toad-bodied. The specific name, hernandesi, honors Francisco Hernández (1514–1587), a Spanish physician who wrote an early account of a horned lizard, which was published in 1615. The greater short-horned lizard is the most widely distributed horned lizard in North America and occurs in the widest range of habitats: West into central Nevada, east into North and South Dakota, north to southern Saskatchewan and Alberta, and then south into eastern New Mexico to central Mexico, with a few pockets in Trans-Pecos Texas. This species of lizard is mostly an arid mountain dweller living in the range of 900–11,300 feet (170–3440 m). It is the only member of its genus in Wyoming, which counts... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Guadalupe Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Greater Short-horned Lizard sighting in Zion National Park on a given day, based on 45 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 13th most-seen of the 21 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June and August
In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Greater Short-horned Lizard in Zion National Park on a given day, against under 5% in November to March, the lowest months. Those are among Zion National Park's driest months, with about 20 mm of rain a month against 75 mm in March.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Greater Short-horned Lizard sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Greater Short-horned Lizard sightings, Zion National Park ranks 2nd at about 30%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Grand Canyon National Park (United States, about 30%).
Same family: Phrynosomatidae
The closest relatives of the Greater Short-horned Lizard that you can see in Zion National Park (family Phrynosomatidae, Phrynosomatid Lizards) are Plateau Fence Lizard (about 80%), Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard (about 70%) and Common Side-blotched Lizard (about 60%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Greater Short-horned Lizard is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Zion National Park (45 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.
