amphibian · CR

Red-eyed Tree Frog

Agalychnis callidryas

Overview

Night walks after rain, leaves at eye level.

The postcard amphibian of the tropics earns the job at the moment of waking: a sleeping red-eyed tree frog is a green leaf-shape, everything tucked away, until a disturbance snaps open two enormous crimson eyes and flashes the blue-and-yellow striped flanks and orange feet. The theory is startle defense, a half-second of predator confusion that buys a leap. By day they sleep pressed under leaves; by night they hunt insects through the understory around ponds. Females lay eggs in jelly clutches on leaves overhanging water, and the embryos hold a party trick biologists adore: sensing the vibrations of an attacking snake, they can hatch early and escape, dropping into the water days ahead of schedule.

Behaviour

Nocturnal and arboreal; males call in rain-season choruses, a short chack from vegetation over still water.

Diet

Night-flying and crawling insects, crickets, moths and flies, ambushed from leaves with a lunge and a sticky tongue.

Photography

Night walks in the wet season with a guide. One diffused flash at low power, a few frames, and done; the eyes and wet skin do the rest of the work.

Ethics

Never reposition a frog for a cleaner shot; skin absorbs whatever is on your hands, from repellent to sunscreen.

Where you'll find them

Generalised encounter areas, not exact locations. Each shape is a grid cell coloured by how likely the species is there.

Costa Rica
10 km zone · high confidence · 105 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 8 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 18 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 21 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 6 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 15 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 10 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 15 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · high confidence · 93 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 49 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 25 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 6 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 8 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · high confidence · 85 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 17 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 9 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 8 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 16 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 11 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 7 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 5 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · high confidence · 78 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 8 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 10 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 6 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 12 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 5 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 6 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 11 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 8 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · high confidence · 70 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 8 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 8 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 5 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 5 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 5 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 9 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 5 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 18 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 48 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 5 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 8 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 12 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 7 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 34 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 6 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 13 records · updated 1 day ago
Very likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 23 records · updated 1 day ago
Likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 8 records · updated 1 day ago
Likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 9 records · updated 1 day ago
Likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 18 records · updated 1 day ago
Likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 5 records · updated 1 day ago
Likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 17 records · updated 1 day ago
Likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 17 records · updated 1 day ago
Likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 9 records · updated 1 day ago
Likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 14 records · updated 1 day ago
Likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 5 records · updated 1 day ago
Likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 13 records · updated 1 day ago
Likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 13 records · updated 1 day ago
Likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 13 records · updated 1 day ago
Likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 12 records · updated 1 day ago
Likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 5 records · updated 1 day ago
Likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 11 records · updated 1 day ago
Likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 7 records · updated 1 day ago
Likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 10 records · updated 1 day ago
Likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 10 records · updated 1 day ago
Likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 6 records · updated 1 day ago
Likely
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 9 records · updated 1 day ago
Possible
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 9 records · updated 1 day ago
Possible
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 9 records · updated 1 day ago
Possible
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 9 records · updated 1 day ago
Possible
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 9 records · updated 1 day ago
Possible
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 7 records · updated 1 day ago
Possible
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 6 records · updated 1 day ago
Possible
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 6 records · updated 1 day ago
Possible
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 6 records · updated 1 day ago
Possible
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 6 records · updated 1 day ago
Possible
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 5 records · updated 1 day ago
Possible
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 5 records · updated 1 day ago
Possible
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 5 records · updated 1 day ago
Possible
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 5 records · updated 1 day ago
Possible
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 5 records · updated 1 day ago
Possible
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 5 records · updated 1 day ago
Possible
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 4 records · updated 1 day ago
Uncommon
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 4 records · updated 1 day ago
Uncommon
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 4 records · updated 1 day ago
Uncommon
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 4 records · updated 1 day ago
Uncommon
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 3 records · updated 1 day ago
Uncommon
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 3 records · updated 1 day ago
Uncommon
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 3 records · updated 1 day ago
Uncommon
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 3 records · updated 1 day ago
Uncommon
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 3 records · updated 1 day ago
Uncommon
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 3 records · updated 1 day ago
Rare
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 3 records · updated 1 day ago
Rare
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 3 records · updated 1 day ago
Rare
Costa Rica
10 km zone · medium confidence · 3 records · updated 1 day ago
Rare

Similar species

amphibianLC

Strawberry Poison-dart Frog

Oophaga pumilio

Tiny, loud, and unmistakably red on the forest floor.

Very likelyCR