Pacific Tree Frog

Description:

While this one is chartreuse green, there are brown, gray, beige and tan versions because they can shift color over a period of time. This one is a medium sized frog, about 1½" long, but some get up to nearly 2". It's our only frog in the northwest with round toe discs. I've heard them croaking year-round, even in November and February when the temps were in the 20s.

Habitat:

Pacific Tree Frogs hang around in moist areas (under leaf litter, etc.) in the Madrone/Oak/Ponderosa pine forest, but head for a pond when spring comes. You can hear them approach over several days, the croaking getting closer and closer as they close in on the pond. The picture above is of a visitor to a tiny 4' wide pond in my back yard.

Notes:

Imagine my surprise to hear these tree frogs croaking around my home in the rainforest of Belize, only to discover later that I was actually hearing Keel-billed Toucans calling! Blew my mind.