Toads and Frogs in Vermont
If you are looking to identify a specific toads and frogs in Vermont 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.
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.
Frogs in Vermont
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.
Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)
Common Name: Spring Peeper
Scientific Name: Pseudacris crucifer
Location: Throughout Vermont
Breeding Season: After snow melts to July
The Spring Peeper is a small chorus frog that can often be found on forest floor or low on trunks of trees. They can be hard to find due to their small size, however, in spring when they come to temporary ponds to breed, they are easier to find. They can be distinguished from Boreal Chorus Frog and Cricket Frog due to their x on their back.
Video of a Spring Peeper calling, thanks to M Dwyer, @MustelidDwyer on twitter
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 a small sized Chorus Frog, ranging from brown, red, tan, to olive in color. They are very similar to the Spring Peeper but there is no x on its back but three lines that run down its back. It is one of the first frogs to start breeding in the spring, once the ice melts from the ponds, but breeds the longest out of all species. 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: Statewide
Breeding Season: April to July
The Green Frog is a medium to large sized frog that is green or bronze in color. 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.
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 American Bullfrog is the largest frog in the state. They 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: 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
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: Pickeral Frog
Scientific Name: Rana palustris
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season: April to mid June
The Pickerel Frog is a medium to large sized frog. Their dorsal ridge runs down from their eye to their back and inside there is rectangular boxes.
Common Name: Wood Frog
Scientific Name: Rana sylvatica
Location: Throughout the state
Breeding Season: Once the snow melts to April
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.
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
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 bellies are white with speckles. 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: 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.