Squirrel Tree Frog (Hyla squirella)

Common Name: Squirrel Tree Frog, Rain Frog
Scientific Name: Hyla squirella
Family: Hylidae – Tree Frog Family
Locations: United States – Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia
Introduced Location: Bahamas
Size: 0.9 – 1.5 inches (23 – 37 mm)

The Squirrel Tree Frog is a small to medium sized tree frog. They are not always green but can be brown or yellow. They are a nocturnal species of frog, active at night. They are a relatively common species of frog but invasive Cuban Tree Frogs (Osteopilus septentrionalis) in Florida are decreasing their populations there by eating them.

The breeding season takes place between March and October depending on location. The male frogs descend from the trees and move to temporary bodies of water and start to call. Temporary water bodies are the preferred habitat to breed in due to the lack of fish predators. After and during rain storms, the Squirrel Frog makes a special call that sounds like a squirrel, hence the name. They are also called Rain Frogs because of this. The females frogs lay around a thousand eggs in a clutch. The eggs hatch into tadpoles and then take 40-50 days to undergo metamorphosis.

The Squirrel Tree Frog appears similar to a bunch of other tree frogs. The Green Tree Frog and it are the same size but the Green Tree Frog has a stripe down its side. The Barking Tree Frog is larger and has more granular skin. The Pinewoods Frog and Gray Tree Frogs has bright yellow coloration on their legs.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assesses the Squirrel Tree Frog as Least Concern for Extinction. This is due to their wide range and large population. There are currently no major threats to the species.