Frogs and Toads of Vermont
Vermont is home to a great variety of frogs and toads from tree frogs such as the Spring Peeper to toads such as the American Toad.
If you are looking to identify a specific frog 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.
Frogs
Tree Frogs – Hylidae
Eastern Gray Tree Frog (Hyla veriscolor)
Common Name: Eastern Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Hyla versicolor
Location: Throughout the state besides high elevations
Breeding Season: April through July
The Eastern Gray Tree Frog is the larger tree frogs in Vermont. They can be gray or green but they don’t have any distinct markings on their back.
Common Name: Spring Peeper
Scientific Name: Pseudacris crucifer
Location: Throughout Vermont
Breeding Season: After snow melts to July
The Spring Peeper is a small tree frog from Vermont. They have a distinct X on their back.
Boreal Chorus Frog (Pseudacris maculata)
Common Name: Boreal Chorus Frog
Scientific Name: Pseudacris maculata
Location: Northwest corner
Breeding Season: April and May
The Boreal Chorus Frog is small frog with three stripes down their back. These stripes can be broken. The frog is listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the state and is very rare.
True Frog Family – Ranidae
Common Name: Green Frog
Scientific Name: Rana clamitans
Location: Throughout Vermont
Breeding Season: April to July
American Bullfrog (Rana catesbiana)
Common Name: American Bullfrog
Scientific Name: Rana catesbiana
Location: Throughout the state besides high elevations
Breeding Season: May through August
The Green Frog and American Bullfrog looks the same but the Bullfrog can grow larger and they lack a dorsal ridge down their back.
Common Name: Mink Frog
Scientific Name: Rana septrentrionalis
Location: Northeast corner
Breeding Season: May through July
The Mink Frog has a marbled look on their back while no other frog in Vermont has that look.
Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)
Common Name: Northern Leopard Frog
Scientific Name: Rana pipiens
Location: Northeast part of the state
Breeding Season: April through May
Common Name: Pickeral Frog
Scientific Name: Rana palustris
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season: April to mid June
Pickeral Frog and Northern Leopard Frog look very similar to each other because of the spots but the Pickeral frog’s spots are more rectangular than the Northern Leopard Frog.
Common Name: Wood Frog
Scientific Name: Rana sylvatica
Location: Throughout the state
Breeding Season: Once the snow melts to April
The Wood Frog has a noticeable raccoon mask on their face that gives them a distinct look. Color can vary from brown, red, to silver.
Toads
True Toads – Bufonidae
The True Toads are your typical toad. They usually have a parotid gland behind their eyes that contain a poison called It is not advised to let your dog eat these guys.
American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus)
Common Name: American Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus americanus
Location: Throughout the state
Breeding Season: April to July
American Toad has a speckled stomach. It is the more common toad in the state.
Common Name: Fowler’s Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus fowleri
Location: Southern Connecticut River Valley
Breeding Season: June and July
The Fowler’s Toad has a clear, white belly. It is a state endangered species.
