Home
SEE TRIPS
  • Top Destinations
PLAN MY VISIT →
  1. Home
  2. Flora & Fauna
  3. Amphibian

Red-Eyed Leaf (Tree) Frog

Red-Eyed Leaf (Tree) Frog (Agalychnis callidryas)Spahish Name: Rana Ojos Rojos

Red-Eyed Leaf (Tree) Frog
Red-Eyed Leaf (Tree) Frog
Red-Eyed Leaf (Tree) Frog
Red-Eyed Leaf (Tree) Frog
←→
  • Sightings

  • La Selva Biological Station
    Arenal Volcano National Park
    Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge
    Tortuguero National Park

    Habitat and Range

    Treetops conceal this bright species in lowland moist and wet forests, in some premontane wet forest and rainforest, and in disturbed habitats and mangroves. The frog can be found as high as 1,200 m, but tends to stay at low elevations.

    The Leaf Frog lives from Mexico to eastern Panama.

    Physical Description

    The namesake huge red eyes, long, narrow body, and distinct coloration make this tree frog stand out among other species. The frog’s back is a bright green to help it blend into the treetops when the frog is sitting still. When it moves, it exposes bright orange hands and feet that have large, sticky finger disks, and dark blue thighs with white or cream vertical bars. When the frog sleeps, it rests on its white belly, keeping its bright hands and thighs folded out of sight. When the frog is startled, the flashes of bright color confuse its attacker as the frog escapes.

    Biology and Natural History

    The striking Red-Eyed Leaf (or Red-Eyed Tree) Frog has become a widely photographed and recognized amphibian in Central America.

    In the forest this frog hides among branches during the day and dry times. It is more active during the rainy season, making trips to breeding ponds at night. Instead of hopping or walking like frogs that spend a lot of time on the ground, this frog climbs hand over hand through the trees. The adhesive disks on its toes and fingers help the frog cling to surfaces that are entirely vertical; this species also has a toe joint that keeps the toe disk flat on a surface no matter how the frog positions its feet. This frog can even parachute, by spreading out its gangly limbs and large feet and dropping from higher perches to lower branches.

    On nights in the early rainy season, the tree frogs descend to breed. Males call “chock” as they move from perch to perch, waiting for a female to approach. When she does, the male climbs onto her back in the amplexus position and she begins to carry him around as they look for a site for their eggs. Males sometimes compete for a female, or a latecomer tries to remove a male already on the female’s back. A second male may even mount the female next to the first male (females are quite a bit larger than males) and share in fertilization as the female deposits the eggs. Before laying the eggs, she carries her mate(s) to water, fills her bladder, and then deposits the eggs where they will stay until they hatch, usually on the surface of a leaf hanging over water. She lays 20-50 eggs, the male fertilizes them, and then the female empties her bladder full of water on the eggs to keep them moist. The mating pair may repeat this process for up to 5 clutches of eggs that night. The female will lay eggs on two nights each breeding season.

    When the tadpoles are ready to hatch, they wiggle free of the eggs and drop into the water below. Before they hatch, they may perish from drying out, predation, or slipping off the leaf too early. Bats, birds, and snakes may eat the adults despite the weak toxins in their skin.

    Diet

    The Red-Eyed Tree Frog feeds on moths, crickets, and other insects that are active at night.

    Height/Weight

    Adult females, at 51-71 mm, can be nearly twice the size of males, which are 30-59 mm.

    Taxonomy

    Order: Anura
    Family: Hylidae

    Source

    Henderson, Carrol L. Field Guide to the Wildlife of Costa Rica. University of Texas Press, Austin, 2002.

    Leenders, Twan. A Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica. Zona Tropical, S.A, Miami, FL, 2001.

    Savage, Jay M. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica: A Herpetofauna between two Continents, between Two Seas. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 2002.

    Amy Strieter, Wildlife Writer

  • Similar Profiles

  • Common Tink Frog
    Giant Toad or Cane Toad
    Milk Frog
    Glass Frog
    Blue-jeans Frog
    Brilliant Forest Frog
    Excellent!
    Trustpilot Rating
    Based on 705 reviews
    Trustpilot
    Will use them again!
    Communicative, helpful and honest. They stuck to my budget and accommodated my changes. My kids and I had such a good ti...
    Dec 01, 2022
    – Kayla C.
    Trustpilot Rating
    100 Stars!!
    If I could give 100 stars, I would wholeheartedly. All the booked activities were excellent and pricing was unbeatable. ...
    Nov 30, 2022
    – Ravi D.
    Trustpilot Rating
    One of the best I have ever used
    Having traveled a lot, I have used many travel companies. The responsiveness and efforts to meet our needs were unmatche...
    Dec 08, 2022
    – A. Hershe.
    Trustpilot Rating
    Above & Beyond in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, & Laos
    Thank you to the entire team that made this trip so memorable for us. We appreciate your warmth and going above and beyo...
    Jun 20, 2022
    – Sapna
    Trustpilot Rating
    Best way to travel!
    I trusted Harold from Anywhere.com to plan my family's vacation. Harold went above and beyond in making sure that our tr...
    Oct 04, 2021
    – Shivani P.
    Trustpilot Rating
    Profesionalism at its Best
    My experience with Anywhere.com in Costa Rica was perfection. All of the drivers were punctual and pleasant; and all of ...
    Aug 02, 2021
    – Natasha I.
    Trustpilot Rating
    Anywhere is OUTSTANDING!
    My family & I have used Anywhere to organize 3 vacations- Costa Rica, Peru, & now Ecuador. I would not hesitate to use t...
    Jul 29, 2021
    – Kara V.
    Trustpilot Rating
    Awesome vacation, everything went smoothly
    Our agent (Erick) planned a great trip for our family of 5. All the tours were excellent, all the transport and lodging ...
    Mar 17, 2020
    – David
    Trustpilot Rating
    Everything Anywhere said they would do…
    Everything Anywhere said they would do they did. Very professional and friendly staff.
    Mar 16, 2020
    – Darrell
    Trustpilot Rating
    We were very reassured in constructing…
    We were very reassured in constructing our trip using Anywhere.com as the team responded promptly to our questions in a ...
    Mar 16, 2020
    – Michael
    Trustpilot Rating
    Great service!
    Great service!
    Mar 15, 2020
    – Kyle K
    Trustpilot Rating
    If I could give 100+stars, I would.
    If I could give 100+stars, I would.
    Mar 15, 2020
    – Jerry Pos.
    Trustpilot Rating
    I gave Anywhere a 48hr turnaround time…
    I gave Anywhere a 48hr turnaround time before our departure to provide an itineary based on what we already researched a...
    Mar 14, 2020
    – Thomas hi.
    Trustpilot Rating
    Anywhere.com was so easy to work with
    Anywhere.com was so easy to work with. They made booking my transfers a pleasant experience. And I even had some last ...
    Mar 14, 2020
    – Ashley Ba.
    Trustpilot Rating
    Perfectly planned
    Perfectly planned. The trip went off with all (5) transfers on time and all our accommodations meeting or exceeding our...
    Mar 14, 2020
    – John C.
    Trustpilot Rating

    Let's Dream Together

    Share your bucketlist to get inspiration and local connections.

    We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy.

    Costa Rica Vacations
    • Adventure
    • All-inclusive
    • Beach
    • Budget
    • Eco-tourism
    • Family
    • Group
    • Honeymoon
    • Luxury
    • Nature
    • Private
    • Rainforest
    • Romantic
    Highlights
    • Top Destinations
    • Beaches
    • Rainforests
    • Cloudforest
    • Volcanoes
    • Waterfalls
    • Surfing
    • Leisure
    • Off the Beaten Path
    • Airports
    Costa Rica Travel
    • Maps
    • Safety
    • Weather & Climate
    • Sustainability
    • Holiday Season
    • Currency
    • Driving & Car Rental
    • Getting Around
    PLACES TO GO
    • Arenal Volcano & Hot Springs
    • Monteverde Cloudforests
    • Manuel Antonio Beach & Jungle
    • Tamarindo Beach
    • Santa Theresa & Malpais Beaches
    • Puerto Viejo Beach
    • Nosara Beach
    • Jaco Beach
    • Tortuguero Rainforest
    • Corcovado Rainforest
    • Rincon de la Vieja Volcano & Waterfall
    • Nicoya Peninsula
    • Guanacaste Beaches
    • Osa Peninsula
    THINGS TO DO
    • Hot Springs
    • Zip Lines
    • Suspension Bridges
    • Horseback
    • Rappel
    • Wildlife
    • Hiking
    • Chocolate Farms
    • Whitewater Rafting
    • Coffee Farms
    • Butterfly Gardens
    • Surfing
    • Sport Fishing
    • Birdwatching
    • Scuba Diving
    • Catamaran Cruise
    • Indigenous Culture
    • Yoga
    • Wellness
    • Cave Exploration
    Trustpilot 5 of 5 rated service
    Trustpilot "Excellent"
    Plan My Visit→+1 (888) 456-3212
    MessengerContact AnywhereWhatsapp ContactCall USA: +1-888-456-3212

    © 2023 Anywhere Inc. All rights reserved.Privacy Policy