# Pacific Tree Frog (*Pseudacris regilla*)

> The Pacific tree frog (Pseudacris regilla) is the iconic green or brown frog of the US West Coast, famous for Hollywood ribbit recordings. Adults weigh about 12 g and are listed Least Concern.

- **Category:** Amphibian
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Least Concern
- **Range:** West Coast of North America from British Columbia to Baja.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/pacific-tree-frog/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Amphibia
- **Order:** Anura
- **Family:** Hylidae
- **Genus:** Pseudacris

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Pseudacris regilla |
| Diet | Insectivore |
| Habitat | Ponds, wetlands, and gardens |
| Lifespan | 5–8 years |
| Weight | 0.01–0.015 kg |
| Top speed | up to 3 km/h |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |

## Hollywood's default ribbit

Recording studios used this species' call as the standard movie frog sound. A dark stripe through the eye and toe pads for climbing identify it.

## Flies, ants, and garden ponds

Small insects are gulped near lights and water features. Colour shifts between green and brown with temperature and mood.

## British Columbia to Baja coasts

West Coast forests, grassland, and suburbs from Canada to Baja California. Highly tolerant of human-altered wetlands and garden ponds.

## Urban adapter

Least Concern and abundant. Chytrid fungus affects some amphibians, but Pacific tree frogs remain common in many developed watersheds.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why do Pacific tree frogs change colour?

They shift between green and brown with temperature, light, and stress — not instant background matching.

### Is this the frog in movie soundtracks?

Yes — its ribbit was widely recorded as the generic cinematic frog call.

### Where do Pacific tree frogs live?

West Coast North America from British Columbia through California and Baja.

### Do Pacific tree frogs climb?

Sticky toe pads let them cling to vegetation, windows, and siding near lights.

### When do Pacific tree frogs breed?

Winter and spring rains trigger choruses in ponds, ditches, and slow streams.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/pacific-tree-frog/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.