Cope's Gray Tree Frog

Cope's Gray Tree Frog

Dryophytes chrysoscelis

Silhouette: Robbi Bishop-Taylor · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
at Congaree National Park

In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%

36 Verified sightings at Congaree National Park From 2019 to 2026
101 In all 2 parks
March Best month
☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's spotted

About the Cope's Gray Tree Frog

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 →

Sounds

Advertisement call0:12

United States · 2016

© Chris Harrison · XC1046110 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Recording0:08

United States · 2026

© Robert Hoard · iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0

Recording0:05

United States · 2026

© laned228 · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Congaree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~30%
2 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Washington 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
2 Baltimore 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
3 Minneapolis [Saint Paul] 🇺🇸 United States
~10%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 National Zoological Park 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
2 The Maryland Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
3 Zoo Atlanta 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
4 Virginia Aquarium 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
5 North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
6 South Carolina Aquarium 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
7 Tennessee Aquarium 🇺🇸 United States In captivity

Closest Relatives at Congaree National Park

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Cope's Gray Tree Frog in Congaree National Park?

Possible

About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Cope's Gray Tree Frog sighting in Congaree National Park on a given day, based on 36 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 6th most-seen of the 13 amphibians we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Cope's Gray Tree Frog in Congaree National Park?

March

In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Cope's Gray Tree Frog in Congaree National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February and December, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Cope's Gray Tree Frog?

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.

Is Congaree National Park the best place to see a Cope's Gray Tree Frog?

Yes

Of the 2 parks where we can rate Cope's Gray Tree Frog sightings, Congaree National Park has the highest daily chance: about 30%. Next come Great Smoky Mountains National Park (United States, about 20%).

Which relatives of the Cope's Gray Tree Frog live in Congaree National Park?

Same genus: Dryophytes

The closest relatives of the Cope's Gray Tree Frog that you can see in Congaree National Park (genus Dryophytes) are Green Treefrog (about 30%), Squirrel Tree Frog (about 20%) and Pine Wood Treefrog (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Cope's Gray Tree Frog sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Cope's Gray Tree Frog is recorded against all the amphibians logged in Congaree National Park (36 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.

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