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

Masked Tree Frog

Smilisca phaeota

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
40–50% · Likely
overall probability at Arenal Volcano National Park
205 Verified records at Arenal Volcano National Park
October 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 →

40–50% of wildlife watchers report a Masked Tree Frog sighting in Arenal Volcano National Park, based on 205 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Arenal Volcano National Park

Drab Tree Frog
LC

Drab Tree Frog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Smilisca sordida

10–20% · With luck
Eastern Masked Tree Frog
LC

Eastern Masked Tree Frog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Smilisca manisorum

5–10% · With luck
Mexican Smilisca
LC

Mexican Smilisca

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Smilisca baudinii

Insufficient data
Harlequin Treefrog
LC

Harlequin Treefrog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Dendropsophus ebraccatus

30–40% · Possible
Mahogany Tree Frog
LC

Mahogany Tree Frog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Tlalocohyla loquax

20–30% · Possible
Rufous-eyed brook frog
LC Endemic

Rufous-eyed brook frog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Duellmanohyla rufioculis

10–20% · With luck
Sipurio Snouted Treefrog

Sipurio Snouted Treefrog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Scinax elaeochroa

10–20% · With luck
Yellow Treefrog
LC

Yellow Treefrog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Dendropsophus microcephalus

5–10% · With luck
Meadow Tree Frog
LC

Meadow Tree Frog

🌅 Crepuscular Amphibian

Isthmohyla pseudopuma

Insufficient data
Red-eyed Stream Frog
VU

Red-eyed Stream Frog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Duellmanohyla uranochroa

Insufficient data
Milk Frog

Milk Frog

🌅 Crepuscular Amphibian

Trachycephalus macrotis

Insufficient data
Shaman Fringe-limbed Tree Frog
LC Endemic

Shaman Fringe-limbed Tree Frog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Ecnomiohyla sukia

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

40–50
Jan
50–60
Feb
30–40
Mar
40–50
Apr
40–50
May
40–50
Jun
10–20
Jul
40–50
Aug
30–40
Sep
50–60
Oct
50–60
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 Arenal Volcano National Park?

About 45% of wildlife watchers report a Masked Tree Frog sighting in Arenal Volcano National Park, based on 205 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Masked Tree Frog in Arenal Volcano National Park?

October has the highest sighting rate for Masked Tree Frog in Arenal Volcano National Park in our monthly data.

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