Southern Gray Treefrog

Hyla chrysoscelis

Description

The Southern Gray Tree Frog is found throughout Mississippi. They’re medium-sized tree frogs that are usually gray or green mottled with a lighter-colored spot below the eye. Thigh marks are bright yellow on yellow background. Their call is a clear, quick trill, similar to a shortened toad call. This is the diploid member of the diploid-tetraploid gray tree frog complex, the other member of which exists north of Mississippi. They are differentiated only by call in the field.

Calling male from a small suburban wetland, Tangipahoa Par. (LA)

Identifying Traits

  • Gray or green mottled appearance
  • Lighter spot below eye
  • Yellow spots on yellow background (see photo above)
Range

Habitat

Within woodlands, and on the edges of woodlands, usually close to water (Peterson et al., 2016)

Behavior

Male call is a quick trill

Diet

Various invertebrates

Male calling in a wetland, differentiated from identical H. versicolor by call, active in the same small cattail pond, Polk Co. (IA)
Male Hyla chrysoscelis on an oak branch, Tangipahoa Pa. (LA)
Perched individual from Evangeline Par. (LA)
Darker male, Tangipahoa Par. (LA)