Frogs and Toads of Washington
If you are looking to identify specific frogs and toads of Washington and can’t figure it out from the page, you can check my Frog Identification and see how to contact me about helping you out.
The States of Washington is home to a many different species of frogs and toads. Learn about them and how to identify them below.
Frogs of Washington
True Frog Family – Ranidae
The True Frogs are your typical frogs that are generally found along the shores of a lake or pond. However, some species are more terrestrial than others.
Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)
**State Endangered Species**
Common Name: Northern Leopard Frog
Scientific Name: Rana pipiens
Location: Grant County
Breeding Season: March to June
The Northern Leopard Frog has a pale complete dorsal ridge and well defined spots all over its body. The frog used to be more common but has disappeared throughout the eastern half of the state.
Common Name: Cascade Frog
Scientific Name: Rana cascadae
Location: Cascade and Olympic Mountains
Breeding Season: March – August, after the snow melts
The Cascade Frog is a medium to large sized frog that is tan, brown, or olive green in color with a yellowish underside and not well-defined spots on its body. They have a dorsal ridge that runs down their side.
Common Name: Columbia Spotted Frog
Scientific Name: Rana luteiventris
Location: Cascades and eastern half
Breeding Season: February to July
The Columbia Spotted Frog is a medium sized frog varying in color from gray, brown, olive, to green with small spots that aren’t filled all over their bodies. The undersides of their legs and belly are red to pink.
Common Name: Oregon Spotted Frog
Scientific Name: Rana pretiosa
Location: Black River and Conboy Lake
Breeding Season: February to July
The Oregon Spotted Frog is a medium to large frog that is olive to red in color with a red belly that doesn’t have spots on it.
Common Name: Northern Red-Legged Frog
Scientific Name: Rana aurora
Location: West of Cascades
Breeding Season: January to April
The Northern Red-Legged Frog is a medium sized frog that is tan, brown, or olive color with a red belly that is spotted. Their dorsal ridge extends on the way down their back.
Tree Frog Family – Hylidae
Not all the members of the tree frog family lives in the trees. You can find many of them on the ground.
Common Name: Pacific Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Pseudacris regilla
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season: November to June
The Pacific Tree Frog is a small frog, ranging in color from green, red, brown or gray. A dark stripe extends from their snout through their eye and down their side.
The Pacific Tree Frog is the only native tree frog in the state of Washington. Its really a chorus frog too, not even a Hyla Tree Frog.
Tailed Frog Family -Ascaphidae
The Tailed Frog family is known for the tails that only males have. They use these tails for reproductive purposes.
Common Name: Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog
Scientific Name: Ascaphus montanus
Location: Southeastern corner of the state
Breeding Season: Fall but egg laying happens in the following spring / summer
The Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog is a small frog with rough skin that is brown or gray in color. They have vertical pupils and lack a tympanum.
Common Name: Coastal Tailed Frog
Scientific Name: Ascaphus truei
Location: Western side of the state
Breeding Season: Fall but egg laying happens in the following spring / summer
The Coastal Tailed Frog is a small frog with rough skin with colors varying from olive, gray, brown, or red with a black stripe through their eye. They have vertical pupils and lack a tympanum.
Toads
True Toad Family – Bufonidae
The True Toads are the typical toads that you know. They have warts along their back and parotoid glands behind their eyes. These toads produce toxins so make sure to wash your hands after handling and don’t eat them.
Common Name: Western Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus boreas
Location: Everywhere beside southeast corner of the state
Breeding Season: February – April
The Western Toad is a medium sized toad with warty skin that’s green, gray, or brown in color. They have a thin white line that runs between their eyes down their back. The toad also lacks a cranial crest.
Common Name: Woodhouse’s Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus woodhousi
Location: Southwestern area
Breeding Season: March – July
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.
Spadefoot Toad Family – Scaphiopodidae
Spadefoot Toads are easy to seperate from the other toads and frogs because they have keratonized “spades” on their rear feet that are used for digging.
Common Name: Great Basin Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name: Spea intermontana
Location: East of the Cascades
Breeding Season: April – June after heavy rains
The Great Basin Spadefoot Toad is a small to medium sized toad that is tan, gray, brown, or olive green in color. They have elliptical, vertical pupils that are snake-like. The Great Basin Spadefoot has a glandular boss (bump between the eyes).
Great Basin Spadefoot Toad is the only spadefoot toad in the state of Washington.
Introduced
American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)
Common Name: American Bullfrog
Scientific Name: Rana catesbeiana
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season: Spring and Summer
The American Bullfrog is the biggest frog in the state, capable of reaching over 7 inches long. hey are found near permanent bodies of water such as large ponds, streams, and lakes. Once the males of the species reach sexual maturity, their throats turn bright yellow. They are very similar to Green Frogs but they don’t have a dorsal ridge down their back. It wraps around their tympanum.
Common Name: Green Frog
Scientific Name: Rana clamitans
Location: Toad Lake and Lake Gillete
Breeding Season: Spring – Summer
The Bronze Frog is a medium to large sized frog. They can be commonly found near pretty much any water body such as ponds, lakes, or streams. Once the males of the species reach sexual maturity, their throats turn bright yellow. Best way to tell them apart from other true frogs below is the dorsal ridge on its back does not go all the way down its back.
