Barking Tree FRog Facts

Barking Tree FRog Facts

1. Barking tree frogs are found chiefly in the Coastal Plain, but also in many upland areas of the United States.

2. They live in pine forests and pine savannah habitats with sandy soils, as well as in open, mixed woodlands, farmlands, pasture ponds, and Gopher Tortoise burrows.

3. This is a large tree frog, measuring 2-2 ¾ inches in length.  It is stouter than other tree frogs.

4. Its color ranges from green to yellowish, grayish, or dark brown.  The skin is slightly bumpy, unlike the smoother skin of most other tree frogs.  They have large toe pads used to climb vertical surfaces, such as tree trunks, walls, and even windows.  They have a very obvious eardrum.

5. This species is nocturnal (active at night) and spends days resting in the trees.  They play an important role in pest control, feeding mainly on insects.

6. When the weather is dry, the barking tree frog will burrow into soil and aestivate (lay inactive, but does not hibernate) until conditions are more favorable.

7. It has two calls.  The first is a single, loud, explosive “doonk” or “toonk” repeated every 1-2 seconds.  The second is a treetop rain call that is a barking call of 9 or 10 raucous (hoarse sounding) syllables, often called along with other tree frogs.

8. Breeding occurs from March through October with a peak in late spring.  Fertilization is external with the female laying up to 2000 eggs in shallow water.   

9. Gestation is one week.  Tadpoles can be up to 2 inches in length, which is the largest tadpole of any tree frog in the United States.  The transformation from tadpole to frog takes 6-10 weeks.  Tadpoles and frogs are independent of the parents and do not depend on them for any care nor feeding.

10. Barking tree frogs are the largest native tree frog in the United States. 

11. Barking tree frogs are known to interbreed with green tree frogs. 

12. As with all amphibians, barking tree frogs should be handled as little as possible. 

13. The Barking Tree Frog has a call which is very like a dog’s bark.

14. In the wild, this species eats a variety of insects and worms. In captivity, it is good to give them a variety as well. They can be fed moths, crickets, grasshoppers, worms, flies, and even pinky mice.