Grey Tree Frog

The Grey Treefrog is a small frog that is found in the eastern United States and in the southeastern Canadian area.

What Does the Grey Tree Frog Look Like?

The Grey Tree Frog can be either brown, grey or green depending on where they are and what kind of activity they do.  They can change colors and go from almost a black color to a cream color.

A female Grey Tree Frog has a white throat and the male Grey Tree Frog has a dark, brown or black throat.  The Grey Tree Frog has brightly colored patches on the inside of its thigh of orange or yellow.

This treefrog gets to around 2 inches with the female being larger than the male.  They have lumpy or grainy skin that almost looks like they have warts on it.

The Grey Tree Frog looks so similar to the Cope’s Grey Tree Frog that the only true way to tell the difference is the call that they make when looking for a mate.

Sound

The Grey Tree Frog makes a sound that is like a whistle.  This is different than the Cope’s Grey Tree Frog that makes a sound like a flute.

Where Does the Grey Tree Frog Live?

The Grey Tree Frog can be found in places such as Texas, Oklahoma, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and New Brunswick.  It is found in the eastern part of the United States and in the southeastern part of Canada.

These tree frogs like to live in areas that are covered in forests and they can live even when the temperatures get very low.

The Grey Tree Frog lives in areas close to ponds that don’t have fish, swamps, water gardens, fountains and can even be found in some people’s swimming pools.

Behavior of the Grey Tree Frog

The Grey Tree Frog usually is found high in the trees.  They leave the trees when they go to find a mate.

The Grey Tree Frog is nocturnal which means most of its activity is done at night.  They also are frogs that do not usually live in groups.

The Grey Treefrog will rest in the trees, on the branches or under the leaves while the sun is out and even liking to sit in the sun.  The Grey Tree Frog does not overheat like other frogs can.

Protection

The Grey Tree Frog is often seen sitting in the open because the color of their skin makes them easy to hide from their predators.  Even when they are in the trees resting, they don’t always hide under leaves or branches but will sit right in the open.

What Does the Grey Tree Frog Eat?

The Grey Tree Frog is a carnivore which means it eats meat.  The Grey Tree Frog likes to eat insects that don’t have backbones such as mosquitoes, earthworms, flies and ants.

Finding a Mate

The male Grey Tree Frog will make a sound that sounds like a whistle when it is trying to find a female frog.  This will usually only happen at nighttime but if there is a storm, the Grey Tree Frog might make this sound to thunder or loud noises.

Facts About the Grey Tree Frog:

• When a tadpole hatches from an egg, it has rounded bodies which is different than most tadpoles that have flatter and longer bodies.
• The tails of the Grey Tree Frog tadpole are red because this allows them to tell predators that they are poisonous and shouldn’t be eaten.
• When a tadpole turns into a baby frog or a froglet, it starts out green for a day before turning grey.
• The Grey Tree Frog secretes a toxin from its skin that can irritate the lips, skin, eyes and mucus lining in the nose.
• The Grey Tree Frog female can lay up to 2,000 eggs at one time, mostly close to the water.
• The Grey Tree Frog can live up to 9 years in the wild.
• The male Grey Tree Frogs will fight each other for the female.

What Did You Learn?

• What is the Grey Tree Frog?  The Grey Tree Frog is a larger tree frog that is found in the United States and in Canada.
• What does the Grey Tree Frog eat? The Grey Tree Frog is a carnivore which means it eats meat.  It eats small insects that have no backbone such as mosquitoes, ants and worms.
• Where does the Grey Tree Frog spend most of its day? The Grey Tree Frog is usually found high up in the trees.
• When is the Grey Tree Frog most active? The Grey Tree Frog is nocturnal which means it is most active at night.
• Is the Grey Tree Frog poisonous?   The Grey Tree Frog will let out a secretion through its skin that can cause irritation to the body of whatever touched or scared it.