Amphibians · Anura · Hylidae

Common Tree Frog

Hyla arborea

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It can shift between green, grey and brown according to temperature, humidity and its own state, thanks to specialised pigment cells in the skin.

Size

3.2 cm – 5 cm

Lifespan

9 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestFreshwaterCarnivore Nocturnal Solitary Amphibian Temperate forest Freshwater

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Fun facts

The night chorus of calling males carries several hundred metres, despite how small the frog is.
It eats small insects and other invertebrates.
It lives in woodland, hedgerows, gardens and ground near standing water across much of Europe.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (amphibian)
Habitat & environment: Woodland, hedgerows, gardens and ground near standing water across much of Europe
Birth weight: Tiny larva at hatching (3-5 mm long)
Size at birth: 3-5 mm long at hatching
Sexual maturity: 1-3 years (usual reference 1-2 years)
Gestation / incubation: 10-14 days of egg development
Litter / clutch size: 200 to 2,000 eggs per female, in small groups of 3-100
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 15-22 years in captivity

Sources consulted: World Species; Skansen; Animalia.bio; Lifeamphicon; Universität Flensburg; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Grokipedia (European tree frog); Wikipedia (European tree frog); The Animal Facts