Masked Tree Frog
Masked Tree FrogMasked Tree FrogMasked Tree FrogMasked Tree Frog

Masked Tree Frog

Smilisca phaeota

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
30–40% · Possible
overall probability at Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge
43 Verified records at Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge
February Best month highest sighting rate
🌙 Nocturnal When it's active during nighttime hours (6pm–6am)

The New Granada cross-banded tree frog (Smilisca phaeota), also known as the masked tree frog, is a species of frog in the family Hylidae found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, rivers, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, plantations, rural gardens, urban areas, heavily degraded former forests, ponds, and canals and ditches. Their nickname of masked tree frog comes from the black or dark colored markings that start at their nose and go back along the face toward their ear, covering their eye. Because it goes across their eye, it can help with camouflage, as many predators find prey by their open eyes. Wikipedia →

30–40% of wildlife watchers report a Masked Tree Frog sighting in Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, based on 43 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge

Drab Tree Frog
LC

Drab Tree Frog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Smilisca sordida

Insufficient data
Eastern Masked Tree Frog
LC

Eastern Masked Tree Frog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Smilisca manisorum

Insufficient data
Harlequin Treefrog
LC

Harlequin Treefrog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Dendropsophus ebraccatus

30–40% · Possible
Sipurio Snouted Treefrog

Sipurio Snouted Treefrog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Scinax elaeochroa

20–30% · Possible
Red-webbed Tree Frog

Red-webbed Tree Frog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Boana rufitela

Insufficient data
Boulenger's Snouted Tree Frog
LC

Boulenger's Snouted Tree Frog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Scinax boulengeri

Insufficient data
Mahogany Tree Frog
LC

Mahogany Tree Frog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Tlalocohyla loquax

Insufficient data
Strawberry Poison-dart Frog
LC

Strawberry Poison-dart Frog

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Oophaga pumilio

70–80% · Very likely
Green and Black Dart-poison Frog
LC

Green and Black Dart-poison Frog

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Dendrobates auratus

50–60% · Likely
Red-eyed Treefrog
LC

Red-eyed Treefrog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Agalychnis callidryas

50–60% · Likely
Sylvia's Tree Frog
LC

Sylvia's Tree Frog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Cruziohyla sylviae

40–50% · Likely
Striped Poison-Dart Frog
LC

Striped Poison-Dart Frog

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Phyllobates lugubris

30–40% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

20–30
Jan
50–60
Feb
30–40
Mar
50–60
Apr
30–40
May
5–10
Jun
20–30
Jul
30–40
Aug
5–10
Sep
20–30
Oct
40–50
Nov
40–50
Dec

🌙 When They're Spotted

Most active during nighttime hours (6pm–6am) · across all parks (global)

🌙Nocturnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
40–50%
2 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
40–50%
3 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
30–40%
4 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
30–40%
5 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
30–40%
6 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
30–40%
7 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
20–30%
8 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
20–30%
9 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
20–30%
10 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
20–30%
11 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
12 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
10–20%
13 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
10–20%
14 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
15 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
10–20%
16 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
17 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
18 Utría National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
19 San Lorenzo Protected Forest 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
20 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
21 Ostional Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
22 Farallones de Cali National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
23 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
24 Machalilla National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Insufficient data
25 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Masked Tree Frog in Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge?

About 38% of wildlife watchers report a Masked Tree Frog sighting in Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, based on 43 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Masked Tree Frog in Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge?

February has the highest sighting rate for Masked Tree Frog in Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge in our monthly data.

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