10 Types of FROGS Found in Greece! (w/Pics)
Do you want to learn about the different frogs in Greece?
If so, you’ve come to the right place! In the article below, I have listed the frogs you can expect to see. For each species, you’ll find out how to identify that frog correctly, along with pictures, interesting facts, and RANGE MAPS!
10 types of frogs that live in Greece:
#1. Common Tree Frog
- Hyla arborea
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults are about 5 cm long.
- This species has very long, thin legs. Its toes are long with little webbing, and its horizontal pupils are set in golden brown eyes.
- The most typical coloring is a bright grassy green, but some individuals are brownish or gray.
The Common Tree Frog has an interesting talent; it’s a bit of a meteorologist! Believe it or not, these bright green frogs were once used to determine if it was going to rain. They often croak loudly when storms draw near because they can sense the change in air pressure.
There are only a few species of tree frog in Greece.
Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell them apart because they all look very similar, but the Common Tree Frog is the most widespread species.
You can identify it by its bright green coloring or listen for its metallic, high-pitched croaks. This little frog is so loud it can be heard from as far away as a kilometer or more!
#2. Eastern Tree Frog
- Hyla orientalis
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults are about 5 cm long.
- This species has very long, thin legs. Its toes are long with little webbing, and its horizontal pupils are set in golden brown eyes.
- The most typical coloring is a bright grassy green, but some individuals are brownish or gray.
The Eastern Tree Frog is similar in most ways to the Common Tree Frog in Greece, aside from the Identifying Characteristics above.
#3. Common Frog
- Rana temporaria
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults grow up to 11 cm long.
- They have a short, blunt snout and partially webbed feet.
- Their coloring varies, from nearly black to pale brown, sometimes red or yellowish. The most typical markings are a white upper lip and a dark patch behind the eye.
The Common Frog is the most widespread frog in Greece.
It lives in nearly every habitat with stagnant water, including ponds, ditches, flooded meadows, and swamps. So if you have a pond in your garden, this species is most likely using it.
Common Frogs breed explosively, meaning that hundreds of these frogs gather together and breed simultaneously. As a result, it’s not uncommon to see the bottom of entire ponds covered in frog eggs during the breeding season.
Their unusual breeding strategy means young frogs emerge in unbelievable numbers during late summer. However, some late-hatching tadpoles hibernate over winter and emerge the following spring instead.
#4. Greek Stream Frog
- Rana graeca
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults grow up to 7 cm long.
- This species has a blunt snout, partially webbed feet, and large eyes with horizontal pupils.
- Their coloring is brown overall, with black mottling and some white spots.
- A dark black patch behind the eye is underlined in white.
Greek Stream Frogs prefer the fast-moving, oxygenated water of streams and small rivers. They’re a high-elevation species and sometimes even occur above the tree-line in mountain areas.
Look for these frogs in Greece near small waterfalls and under rocks.
Most individuals of this species hibernate during the cold season, but some Greek Stream Frogs are active all year in the right conditions.
Another way to recognize this frog is its distinctive call. It makes a hoarse, low-pitched grunt. Some observers have compared it to the sound of a burp!
#5. Agile Frog
- Rana dalmatina
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults are 8 cm long.
- This species has a slender body and long legs.
- Coloring is light brown above, with pale cream to white on the belly. The legs are banded with dark brown or black, and they have a black patch behind the eye.
The Agile Frog is one species that has EARNED its common name. This large, light-colored frog can leap incredible distances when disturbed. It’s known to cover up to two meters in a single bound!
Look for Agile Frogs in Greece on land near ditches, ponds, and flooded meadows. They are active day and night and spend most of their time hunting for beetles, their main food source.
To recognize this species’ distinct call, listen for a five- to ten-second, high-pitched cry. It often calls in a series, with each note becoming longer, higher-pitched, and further spaced.
#6. Marsh Frog
- Pelophylax ridibundus
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults grow up to 15 cm long.
- They have a pointed snout, robust body, and long, powerful legs.
- This species’ coloring is dark green to olive, fading to brown on the sides and legs.
- They have black blotches across the body, which form bands on the hind legs.
Look for Marsh Frogs in Greece in deep ponds, lakes, and larger rivers.
These large, loud frogs are hard to miss!
Although you shouldn’t have trouble spotting a Marsh Frog, you might have a harder time identifying one. This is because it’s often confused with its close relatives, the Graf’s Hybrid Frog and the Iberian Water Frog. The Marsh Frog is the largest of the three, but the best way to differentiate these species is by your location.
You can also listen for the Marsh Frog’s distinctive voice, a series of evenly spaced metallic squeaks.
#7. Levant Water Frog
- Pelophylax bedriagae
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults grow up to 10 cm long.
- They have a pointed snout, robust body, and long, powerful legs.
- This species’ coloring is green to olive, fading to brown on the sides.
- They have black blotches across the body, which form bands on the hind legs.
Look for Levant Water Frogs in Greece in permanent or temporary water bodies.
Although they prefer deep water, they’re also found in streams, ponds, and sometimes ditches.
Although you shouldn’t have trouble spotting a Levant Water Frog, you might have a harder time identifying one. This is because it’s often confused with its close relative, the Iberian Frog. However, their ranges do not overlap, so the best way to differentiate these species is by your location.
You can also listen for the Levant Water Frog’s distinctive voice, a quick, loud, rattling noise that can last for several seconds.
#8. Epirus Water Frog
- Pelophylax epeiroticus
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults grow up to 8 cm long.
- They have a pointed snout, robust body, and long, powerful legs.
- This species’ coloring is dark green to olive.
- They have black blotches across the body and legs.
Look for Epirus Water Frogs in Greece in large water bodies.
Although they prefer the deep water of canals and lakes, they’re also found in large rivers.
Although you shouldn’t have trouble spotting an Epirus Water Frog, you might have a harder time identifying one. This is because it’s often confused with its close relative, the Iberian Frog. However, their ranges do not overlap, so the best way to differentiate these species is by your location.
You can also listen for the Epirus Water Frog’s distinctive voice, a single low-pitched rattle.
#9. Cretan Water Frog
- Pelophylax cretensis
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults grow up to 8.5 cm long.
- They have a pointed snout, robust body, and long, powerful legs.
- This species’ coloring is gray-green to olive, fading to brown on the sides and front legs.
- They have black blotches across the body, which form bands on the hind legs.
Cretan Water Frogs are virtually the same as Epirus Water Frogs.
Although they have slightly different appearances, the only way to tell these species apart is by location.
Luckily, Cretan Water Frogs are ONLY found on the island of Crete, so it isn’t difficult to identify this species!For more information on the Cretan Water Frog, see the section above on the Epirus Water Frog.
#10. American Bullfrog
- Lithobates catesbeianus
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults reach 20 cm or more in length.
- This species has fully webbed back feet, a large, stout body, and a wide face.
- Their coloring is typically olive green, with some individuals having gray or brown mottling or spots.
The American Bullfrog is the largest frog in Greece!
But, as its name suggests, it’s not a native resident. Instead, the American Bullfrog was introduced to Greece, most likely as an escaped pet. Fortunately, this species doesn’t pose as much risk to native frogs because it prefers deeper water, but its voracious appetite can cause problems for local ecosystems.
Look for Bullfrogs in swamps, ponds, and lakes. These large, aggressive frogs will eat just about anything they can fit in their mouth and swallow! The list of prey includes other frogs, fish, turtles, small birds, bats, rodents, insects, crustaceans, and worms. I have personally witnessed one even trying to eat a baby duck!
They’re named for their deep call, which is thought to sound like a bull bellowing.
If you need additional help identifying frogs in Greece, check out this field guide!
Do you want to learn more about animals in Greece?
Check out these other ID Guides!
- The 30 MOST Common Birds Found in Greece!
- The 18 Types of Snakes That Live in Greece! (ID Guide)
- 42 Amazing ANIMALS to see in Greece! (ID guide w/ pics)
- The Incredible LIZARDS that live in Greece
Which of these frogs have you seen before in Greece?
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