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Texas is home to a great variety of frogs and toads with over 30 different species. This makes Texas one of the froggiest states in the United States.
Texas contains 10 frogs from the family Ranidae, the True Frog family. These are your typical frogs.
Common Name: Crawfish FrogScientific Name: Rana areolatusLocation: Eastern half of the stateBreeding Season: January to April
The Crawfish Frog is a medium to large frog that is a light color but is covered in large dark spots. They have a white dorsal ridge that runs down their sides and a small tympanum. The Crawfish Frog gets its name from living in crawfish holes.
Common Name: American BullfrogScientific Name: Rana catesbeianaLocation: Throughout the state except parts of the western sideBreeding Season: March to October
The American Bullfrog is the largest frog in the state. They are found near permanent bodies of water such as large ponds, streams, and lakes. Once the males of the species reach sexual maturity, their throats turn bright yellow. They are very similar to Green Frogs but they don’t have a dorsal ridge down their back. It wraps around their tympanum.
Common Name: Green Frog / Bronze FrogScientific Name: Rana clamitansLocation: Eastern half of the stateBreeding Season:
The Green Frog / Bronze Frog is a medium to large sized frog. They can be commonly found near pretty much any water body such as ponds, lakes, or streams. Once the males of the species reach sexual maturity, their throats turn bright yellow. They have an incomplete dorsal ridge down their side.
Common Name: Pig FrogScientific Name: Rana grylioLocation: small part near the eastern part of the state near BeaumontBreeding Season:
The American Bullfrog and Pig Frog looks very similar to the Green Frog but the dorsal ridge wraps around the tympanum while the Green Frog’s dorsal ridge is incomplete and does not extend all the way to its rear. The American Bullfrog is also very similar to the Pig Frog but the Pig Frog has bolder spots / stripes on the back of its thighs while the Bullfrog has light spots. Also the Pig Frog is barely in the state.
The Plains Leopard Frog is a medium sized frog with a tan color and dark spots. They have dorsal ridge that runs down their back that has a break and an indent near its butt / thighs.
The Southern Leopard Frog is a medium to large sized frog that is brown or green in color with spots over their body. They have a white spot on their tympanum and their dorsal ridge goes straight all the way down their back.
The Pickerel Frog is a medium to large sized frog. Their dorsal ridge runs down from their eye to their back and inside there is rectangular boxes.
Texas is home to a variety of tree frog species, not all of them live in trees. They fall into 4 genera: the Cricket Frogs – Acris, Chorus Frogs – Pseudacris, regular tree frogs – Hyla, and Smilisca, which is kinda an outlier.
Common Name: Blanchard’s Cricket FrogScientific Name: Acris blanchardiLocation: Everywhere besides the far western border of the stateBreeding Season:
The Blanchard’s Cricket Frog is a small, warty frog that varies in color from tan, brown, or green. They have a dark triangle between their eyes and a dark stripe on their thighs.
Common Name: Canyon Tree FrogScientific Name: Hyla arenicolorLocation: Western part of the state around the Big Bend areaBreeding Season:
The Canyon Tree Frog has rough skin and no stripes through its eyes but has a light spot below it.
These two frogs are identical besides their calls and chromosome numbers. These tree frogs are also larger than the ones below. Also note that Gray Tree Frogs are not always gray and can be green.
The Green Tree Frog is a medium sized tree frog with a distinct white stripe down its side. They are found on trees and other objects above the ground.
The Green and Squirrel Tree Frog appear very similar. The Green Tree Frog has a stripe that goes down its side while the Squirrel Tree Frog doesn’t.
Texas is home to a fascinating diversity of tree frogs These small amphibians can be found across the state, inhabiting wetlands, forests, grasslands, urban areas, and more Let’s take a closer look at the 11 most common tree frog species found in the Lone Star State.
1. Blanchard’s Cricket Frog
The tiny Blanchard’s cricket frog grows to just 06 inches in length It has warty skin that can be brown, gray, tan or olive green. Dark leg bands help distinguish this species. Blanchard’s cricket frogs live in wetlands and fields across most of Texas. They breed after spring and summer rains. The males make a distinctive clicking call to attract females.
2. Green Tree Frog
One of the most recognizable Texas tree frogs is the green tree frog. It lives up to its name with bright green skin. A white stripe often runs along its side. Green tree frogs inhabit forests, fields and backyards from central to east Texas. They breed in permanent ponds and pools. These frogs sometimes gather in large choruses, with the males making a loud barking call that sounds like “quank”.
3. Squirrel Tree Frog
True to its name, the squirrel tree frog makes a call that resembles a squirrel’s raspy chatter. Its color can vary between green, brown, gray and tan. Blotches and stripes decorate its skin. An average adult squirrel tree frog reaches about 1.5 inches long. Look for these frogs in east Texas forests, swamps and urban areas. They breed in wetlands after spring and summer rains.
4. Gray Tree Frog
Gray tree frogs can astonishingly shift their skin color from nearly black to almost white. This helps them blend into their surroundings. They have a dark banding pattern on their legs contrasted with bright orange or yellow on their underbellies. Eastern gray tree frogs and the similar Cope’s gray tree frogs inhabit forests and yards in eastern Texas. They vocalize with fast trills during spring and summer.
5. Spring Peeper
Tiny spring peepers live up to their name with their loud, high-pitched springtime mating calls. They grow under 2 inches long and vary from tan to brown with an X-shaped mark on their backs. Look for them in east Texas forests and wetlands. Spring peepers can survive freezing winters by producing a natural antifreeze in their blood.
6. Spotted Chorus Frog
In prairies and grasslands across central to south Texas, you may encounter the small spotted chorus frog. It has olive green or gray skin with lighter green splotches on its back. Spotted chorus frogs breed after heavy rains, when the males make a rapid whank-whank-whank call. They are mostly active at night.
7. Canyon Tree Frog
Canyon tree frogs inhabit rocky canyons and cliffsides in arid west Texas. They blend in with tan, gray and brown skin, sometimes patterned with darker blotches. With adhesive toe pads, canyon tree frogs easily climb canyon walls. They take refuge in rock crevices during the day and come out at night to feed. After spring and summer storms, they quickly gather at pools to breed.
8. Strecker’s Chorus Frog
In eastern Texas, listen for the bell-like whistles of Strecker’s chorus frogs on rainy nights. These frogs grow up to 1.5 inches long and vary from green and brown to gray. A dark facial stripe gives them a characteristic masked appearance. Strecker’s chorus frogs live in forests and wetlands, where they lay eggs in temporary pools after heavy rains.
9. Cajun Chorus Frog
The Cajun chorus frog lives up to its name in southeastern Texas. It has brown or tan skin with three dark stripes down its back. Look for them in swamps, marshes and ponds lined with vegetation. After heavy rains from spring through fall, male Cajun chorus frogs call with a musical trill to attract mates.
10. Common Mexican Tree Frog
A threatened species in Texas, the Mexican tree frog only occurs in a small area of the Lower Rio Grande Valley by the Mexico border. It is Texas’ largest native tree frog, growing over 3 inches long. The Mexican tree frog’s huge toe pads help them climb high into trees. Their calls sound like a string of honks.
11. Cuban Tree Frog
Though not native to Texas, Cuban tree frogs have become established in isolated populations in southeastern parts of the state. They can grow up to a whopping 5 inches long! Cuban tree frogs are predators that will eat smaller native frogs and lizards. They have warty skin that ranges from solid brown to green with dark splotches. Their large toe pads help them expertly climb trees and walls.
In conclusion, Texas hosts an impressive diversity of tiny tree frog species. They come in a spectacular array of colors and patterns to match their varied habitats across the state. Listening for their calls on spring and summer nights is one of the best ways to detect these frogs. With habitat protection, ideally Texans and tourists alike will continue to enjoy encounters with its 11 special tree frogs for years to come.
Pseudacris – Chorus Frog genus
Common Name: Spotted Chorus FrogScientific Name: Pseudacris clarkiiLocation: Eastern half of the stateBreeding Season:
The Spotted Chorus Frog obviously has spots that are green and are bordered by black.
Common Name: Strecker’s Chorus FrogScientific Name: Pseudacris streckeriLocation: Eastern half of the stateBreeding Season:
The Strecker’s Chorus Frog lacks doesn’t have any pattern of stripes or dots on its back. It has a line that runs through its eye and down its side though.
Common Name: Spring PeeperScientific Name: Pseudacris cruciferLocation: Throughout stateBreeding Season: March to early June
The Spring Peeper is a small chorus frog that can often be found on forest floor or low on trunks of trees. The Spring Peeper has a noticeable X mark on their back.
Video of a Spring Peeper calling, thanks to M Dwyer, @MustelidDwyer on twitter
Common Name: Cajun Chorus FrogScientific Name: Pseudacris fouquettei Location: Eastern half of stateBreeding Season: November to May
Cajun Chorus Frog has three stripes that run down its back.
Common Name: Mexican Tree FrogScientific Name: Smilisca baundiniiLocation: Southern part of the stateBreeding Season: Anytime following enough rainfall
The Mexican Tree Frog is the largest native tree frog in the United States. One of the key identifying characteristics is a row of warts on its lower arms.
Common Name: Mexican White-Lipped FrogScientific Name: Hyla arenicolorLocation: Southern tipBreeding Season:
The Mexican White-Lipped Frog is the only member of its family found in the state. It has a pointy snout with white lips and extremely elongated toes.
The family Eleutherodactylidae is a group of small, direct developing frogs.
Common Name: Rio Grande Chirping FrogScientific Name: Eleutherodactylus cystignathoidesLocation: Eastern edge of TexasBreeding Season:
Common Name: Spotted Chirping FrogScientific Name: Eleutherodactylus guttilatusLocation: Western edge of the stateBreeding Season:
Common Name: Cliff Chirping FrogScientific Name: Eleutherodactylus marnockiiLocation: Central part of TexasBreeding Season:
The three Chirping Frogs look extremely similar and its best to tell them apart based on locations.
Common Name: Barking FrogScientific Name: Craugastor augustiLocation: Western parts of the stateBreeding Season:
The Barking Frog is the one species of its family in the state. It has tubercles on its feet and a skin fold on the back of the head.
The True Toads are your typical toad. They usually have a parotid gland behind their eyes that contain a poison called It is not advised to let your dog eat these guys.
Common Name: American ToadScientific Name: Anaxyrus americanusLocation: Northeastern edgeBreeding Season:
The American Toad is a medium sized toad with rough warty skin that’s primary brown in color but can have some black, gray, or red coloration. The toads can be found pretty much anywhere including urban areas. The American Toads’s parotid gland does not touch or connected to it by a spur.
Common Name: Fowler’s ToadScientific Name: Anaxyrus fowleriLocation: East sideBreeding Season:
The Fowler’s Toad is a small to medium sized toad ranging in color from brown, gray, and olive with a clear, white underside and a white stripe down its back. Its parotid gland touches its postorbital ridge.
The Fowler’s Toad appears similar to the American Toad. Their postorbital ridge touches their parotid gland. They also have a white belly while the American Toad’s is speckled.
Common Name: Great Plains ToadScientific Name: Anaxyrus cognatusLocation: Panhandle + upper Rio Grande ValleyBreeding Season:
The Great Plains Toad is a medium sized toad with pairs of dark blotches down their back. The toads are brown, gray, or green in color. A white stripe down their back can be seen on some individuals. The toad has a V shaped cranial crest on their head with a boss (bump) in between the eyes.
Video of a male Great Plains Toad calling by Annika Enloe
Common Name: Green ToadScientific Name: Anaxyrus debilisLocation: Central and Western TexasBreeding Season:
No cranial crest. No stripe down middle of the back. The Green Toad has elongated parotoid gland.
Common Name: Houston ToadScientific Name: Anaxyrus houstonensisLocation: Just west of Houston but west of AustinBreeding Season:
The Houston Toad is a federally endangered species. It is only found in the state of Texas. The Houston Toad has thicker cranial crests than other toads in the state.
Common Name: Red Spotted ToadScientific Name: Anaxyrus punctatusLocation: West and central TexasBreeding Season:
No cranial crest. No stripe down middle of the back. Parotoid gland is also rather small.
Common Name: Texas ToadScientific Name: Anaxyrus speciosusLocation: Everywhere besides eastern edges of the stateBreeding Season:
The Texas Toad ‘s cranial crests absent or weak with no stripe down its back. The tubercles on its feet are black and sharp edged. It is the state amphibian of Texas.
Common Name: Woodhouse’s ToadScientific Name: Anaxyrus woodhousiiLocation: Everywhere besides the Rio Grande ValleyBreeding Season:
The Woodhouse’s Toad is a medium sized toad with brown or gray coloring. They have a white or yellow stripe running down the center of their back. Their cranial crests do not touch, creating opposing L shapes.
Common Name: Coastal Plains ToadScientific Name: Incilius nebuliferLocation: Southeastern TexasBreeding Season:
The Coastal Plains Toad is notable from the other toads in the family Bufonidae because its in a different genus Incilius. This genus has a more defined cranial crest than Anaxyrus.
Common Name: Cane Toad / Bufo Toad Scientific Name: Rhinella marinaLocation: Southern tipBreeding Season:
The highly invasive Cane Toad is actually found naturally in the southern tip of the state. It is the largest toad in the state and is highly poisonous. They have a highly prominent cranial crests and large parotoid glands.
Common Name: Eastern Narrow Mouthed ToadScientific Name: Gastrophryne carolinesisLocation: Eastern EdgeBreeding Season: April to October following heavy rains
The Eastern Narrow Mouthed Frog has a dark belly and often has a broad line down its back.
Common Name: Great Plains Narrowed Mouth ToadScientific Name: Gastrophryne olivaceaLocation: Throughout the stateBreeding Season:
The Great Plains Narrow Mouthed Toad has a light, unmarked belly and has no patterns and a few spots on its back.
Common Name: Sheep FrogScientific Name: Hypopachus variolosusLocation: Southern tipBreeding Season:
The Sheep Frog has a thin line that runs down its back. It also has two spades on its rear legs. The belly has thin lines all over it.
The spadefoot toads are known for their “spades” on their rear feet that they use for digging. They are all highly fossorial, only coming to the surface to breed and eat.
Common Name: Mexican Spadefoot ToadScientific Name: Spea multiplicataLocation: Northwestern part of the stateBreeding Season:
The Mexican Spadefoot Toad has no boss or bump between its eyes.
Common Name: Plains Spadefoot ToadScientific Name: Spea bombifronsLocation: Northwestern part of stateBreeding Season:
The Plains Spadefoot Toad is a small to medium sized toad that is gray, brown, or tan in color. They have elliptical, vertical pupils that are snake-like. The toad has a bony boss (bump between the eyes).
Common Name: Couch’s Spadefoot ToadScientific Name: Scaphiopus couchiiLocation: Western half of stateBreeding Season:
The Couch Spadefoot Toad has a sickle-shaped spade on its rear legs.
Common Name: Hurter’s Spadefoot ToadScientific Name: Scaphiopus hurteriiLocation: Eastern half of the stateBreeding Season:
Texas Herping: Green Tree Frogs
FAQ
Are tree frogs common in Texas?
Green tree frogs (Hyla cinerea) belong to a genera of frogs that is taxonomically known as the “true” treefrogs. This genera has 5 representatives here in Texas, and this species has the second largest range.
Are tree frogs good to have around?
Tree frogs mostly eat insects (mine are especially fond of moths attracted to my back porchlight) and other small invertebrates. Birds, snakes, and other predators eat them. They are beneficial wildlife for both reasons.
Can I keep a tree frog I found as a pet?
Frogs can make lovely pets, but frogs in the wild are facing population declines and extinction due to human encroachment. If you take in a wild-caught frog as a pet, it may have diseases or health issues.
What should I do if I find a tree frog?
If you don’t wish to kill the tree frogs caught, they can be removed by rubbing vegetable oil where they’re stuck and it will release them unharmed. Once detached you can take them away from your property to relocate somewhere off your land. Take them at least 2 miles away to insure they don’t return.