Gray Bird Grasshopper
Schistocerca nitens
OrderOrthoptera
FamilyAcrididae
HabitatDeserts, rocky slopes, brushland, and vacant lots
SeasonActive most of the year in Texas
LocationWindy Point Park, Lake Travis, Texas, Travis County, Texas
Size1.5-2.75 inches
DietA wide variety of plants
ConservationNot evaluated; common
CameraNikon Z9Lens400mmAperturef/8Shutter1/2000ISO400
This Gray Bird Grasshopper was blending into the limestone at Windy Point Park.
About the Gray Bird Grasshopper
The Gray Bird Grasshopper is the American Bird Grasshopper's desert cousin, a big strong-flying insect in muted grays and browns that blend into limestone and dry brush. Like its relative, it flies far and fast when flushed, which is how the bird grasshoppers got their name.
This species is a champion colonizer, famous for having crossed open ocean to establish itself in Hawaii. It thrives in dry country where few other large grasshoppers do well.
This one was photographed at Windy Point on Lake Travis, pressed flat against the pale limestone it matches so well.
Want to see a Gray Bird Grasshopper in the wild?
Join one of my guided birding tours! Fine art prints of my photos are also available.
Join one of my guided birding tours! Fine art prints of my photos are also available.
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