Sierran Treefrog (Nightlife of the East Bay Area)

Sierran Treefrog

Pseudacris sierra

Description ³

Active both day and night, becoming mostly nocturnal during dry periods.
During wet weather, they move around in low vegetation. In locations at low elevations where temperatures are more moderate, frogs may be active all year. At colder or hotter locations, frogs avoid temperature extremes by hibernating in moist shelters such as dense vegetation, debris piles, crevices, mammal burrows, and even human buildings.

Despite the name, this frog is chiefly a ground-dweller, living among shrubs and grass typically near water, but occasionally it can also be found climbing high in vegetation. Its large toe pads allow it to climb easily, and cling to branches, twigs, and grass.

Green body color absorbs more solar radiation which can be more beneficial in cold and aquatic habitats.
Brown body color absorbs less solar radiation, which may be more beneficial in drier, hotter, more terrestrial habitats.
When disturbed, this frog typically hops a large distance or jumps into the water and swims into vegetation to hide. But at times they will use their cryptic body color to avoid predation by remaining motionless.
Males are territorial during the breeding season, producing a slow trilled encounter call to warn other males.

Advertisement calls are heard during the evening and at night, and during the daytime at the peak of the breeding season. Males produce two different kinds of advertisement calls: a two-parted, or diphasic call, typically described as rib-it, or krek-ek, with the last syllable rising in inflection, and a one-part, or monophasic call, also called the enhanced mate attraction call. They also produce a slow trilled encounter call, a release call, and a land call, which is a prolonged one-note sound that is produced much of the year, especially during rains.

Eats a wide variety of invertebrates, primarily on the ground at night, including a high percentage of flying insects.
During the breeding season, they also feed during the day.
Typical of most frogs, prey is located by vision, then the frog lunges with a large sticky tongue to catch the prey and bring it into the mouth to eat.

Tadpoles are suspension feeders, eating a variety of prey including algaes, bacteria, protozoa and organic and inorganic debris.
Reproduction is aquatic. Fertilization is external.
The reproductive cycle is similar to that of most North American Frogs and Toads.
http://www.californiaherps.com/frogs/pages/p.sierra.html

National distribution ⁴

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

National nature serve conservation status ⁵

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

Sources and Credits

More Info

Range Map

iNat Map

Taxa	amphibian

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