Gray Bird Grasshopper vs Ornate Pygmy Grasshopper

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Gray Bird Grasshopper Ornate Pygmy Grasshopper
Scientific Name Schistocerca nitens Tetrix ornata
Order Orthoptera Orthoptera
Family Acrididae Tetrigidae
Size 35-55 mm 7-10 mm
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Woodlands
Diet Herbivores Omnivores
Regions North America North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Gray Bird Grasshopper

A large, strong-flying grasshopper of arid western North America. It is closely related to the desert locust but does not form true swarms.

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Did You Know?

It can fly several kilometers in a single flight, making it one of the most mobile grasshoppers in North America.

Ornate Pygmy Grasshopper

A tiny, intricately patterned groundhopper found on bare sandy soils in North American prairies and open woodlands. Its flattened, cryptic body blends perfectly with gravel and dry soil surfaces.

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Did You Know?

When disturbed it can leap into a short flight that ends with a tumbling landing, making it very hard to track.