Frogs and Toads in North Dakota
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North Dakota doesn’t have a great variety of frogs and toads but they are some great species.
Frogs in North Dakota
True Frog Family – Ranidae
There are only two true frog species in the state, which makes it easy to identify them.
Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)
Common Name: Northern Leopard Frog
Scientific Name: Rana pipiens
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season:
The Northern Leopard Frog is a medium to large species of semi aquatic species of frog. They vary in color from dark brown to slim green with fairly large spots all over their body.
Common Name: Wood Frog
Scientific Name: Rana sylvatica
Location: Southeastern corner diagonally up to the northwestern corner
Breeding Season: After the snow melts
The Wood Frog is a small to medium sized frog. They vary in color from brown, silver, or red and they have dark “raccoon” eyes. When winter comes, the Wood Frog can freeze completely solid and then unthaw in spring. After breeding season, they are often found in the woods, far away from any water bodies.
Tree Frog Family – Hylidae
Cope’s Gray Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis)
Common Name: Cope’s Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Hyla chrysoscelis
Location: Western half of the state
Breeding Season:
The Cope’s Gray Tree Frog is a medium sized frog that can be found perched in trees or on the side of your house. They are not always gray in color and can be green. They have yellow or orange coloration on their back legs.
Boreal Chorus Frog (Pseudacris maculata)
Common Name: Boreal Chorus Frog
Scientific Name: Pseudacris maculata
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season:
The Boreal Chorus Frog is a small sized Chorus Frog, ranging from brown, red, tan, to olive in color that has three lines that run down their back.
Toads
True Toad Family – Bufonidae
American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus)
Common Name: American Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus americanus
Location: Eastern edge
Breeding Season:
The American Toad is a medium sized toad with rough warty skin that’s primary brown in color but can have some black, gray, or red coloration. Their undersides are speckled. The American Toads’s parotid gland does not touch or connected to it by a spur. The toads can be found pretty much anywhere including urban areas.
Common Name: Canadian Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus hemiophrys
Location: Eastern half
Breeding Season:
The Canadian Toad’s cranial crest form a boss (bump) in between its eyes.
Common Name: Woodhouse’s Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus woodhousii
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season:
The Woodhouse’s Toad is a medium sized toad with brown or gray coloring. They have a white or yellow stripe running down the center of their back. Their cranial crests do not touch, creating opposing L shapes.
Common Name: Great Plains Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus cognatus
Location: Throughout the state
Breeding Season:
The Great Plains Toad is a medium sized toad with pairs of dark blotches down their back. The toads are brown, gray, or green in color. A white stripe down their back can be seen on some individuals. The toad has a V shaped cranial crest on their head with a boss (bump) in between the eyes.
Video of a male Great Plains Toad calling by Annika Enloe
Spadefoot Toad Family – Scaphiopodidae
Common Name: Plains Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name: Spea bombifrons
Location: Western half
Breeding Season:
The Plains Spadefoot Toad is a small to medium sized toad that is gray, brown, or tan in color. They have elliptical, vertical pupils that are snake-like. The toad has a bony boss (bump between the eyes).