Dryophytes chrysoscelis
Silhouette: Robbi Bishop-Taylor · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
Cope's gray treefrog (Dryophytes chrysoscelis) is a species of treefrog found in the United States and Canada. It is almost indistinguishable from the gray treefrog (Dryophytes versicolor), and shares much of its geographic range. Both species are variable in color, mottled gray to gray-green, resembling the bark of trees. These are treefrogs of woodland habitats, though they will sometimes travel into more open areas to reach a breeding pond. The only readily noticeable difference between the two species is the mating call — Cope's has a faster-paced and slightly higher-pitched call than D. versicolor. In addition, D. chrysoscelis is reported to be slightly smaller, more arboreal, and more tolerant of dry conditions than D. versicolor.
Edward Drinker Cope described the species in 1880. The specific name, chrysoscelis, is from Greek chrysos, gold, and scelis, leg. Microscopic inspection of the chromosomes of D. chrysoscelis and D. versicolor reveals differences in chromosome number. D. chrysoscelis is diploid, having two complete sets of chromosomes, the usual condition in vertebrates. D. versicolor is tetraploid, having double the usual number of chromosomes. Generally... Wikipedia →
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| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Congaree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Zoological Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | The Maryland Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Zoo Atlanta | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Virginia Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | South Carolina Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Tennessee Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cope's Gray Tree Frog sighting in Baltimore on a given day, based on 28 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 5th most-seen of the 11 amphibians we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May and July
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Cope's Gray Tree Frog in Baltimore on a given day, against under 5% in August and November–April, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cope's Gray Tree Frog sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Cope's Gray Tree Frog sightings, Baltimore ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Washington (United States, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Cope's Gray Tree Frog is recorded against all the amphibians logged in Baltimore (28 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
