Masked Tree Frog
Smilisca phaeota
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAmphibia (Amfibis)
- OrderAnura (Anurs)
- FamilyHylidae (Hylid Tree Frogs)
- GenusSmilisca (Cross-banded Tree Frogs)
- SpeciesSmilisca phaeota (Masked Tree Frog)
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 Piedras Blancas National Park, based on 45 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Piedras Blancas National Park
Drab Tree Frog
Smilisca sordida
Pugnosed Tree Frog
Smilisca sila
Rosenberg's Gladiator Frog
Boana rosenbergi
Boulenger's Snouted Tree Frog
Scinax boulengeri
Sipurio Snouted Treefrog
Scinax elaeochroa
Harlequin Treefrog
Dendropsophus ebraccatus
Yellow Treefrog
Dendropsophus microcephalus
Milk Frog
Trachycephalus macrotis
Red-webbed Tree Frog
Boana rufitela
Giant Marine Toad
Rhinella horribilis
Red-eyed Treefrog
Agalychnis callidryas
Savage's Thin-toed Frog
Leptodactylus savagei
📅 Monthly Probability
🌙 When They're Spotted
Most active during nighttime hours (6pm–6am) · across all parks (global)
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
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Masked Tree Frog in Piedras Blancas National Park?
About 37% of wildlife watchers report a Masked Tree Frog sighting in Piedras Blancas National Park, based on 45 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Masked Tree Frog in Piedras Blancas National Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for Masked Tree Frog in Piedras Blancas National Park in our monthly data.