Frogs and Toads of Colorado

Colorado is blessed to have a great variety of frogs and toads from a few different families.

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

True Frog Family – Ranidae

Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica)

Common Name: Wood Frog
Scientific Name: Rana sylvatica
Location: Northern part of the state
Breeding Season: Shortly 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. They start to breed once the ice is off the ponds in late March / early April. After breeding season, they are often found in the woods, far away from any water bodies.

American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

Common Name: American Bullfrog
Scientific Name: Rana catesbeiana
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season: 

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. It is naturally found in the eastern part of the state but has spread to the western half.

Common Name: Plains Leopard Frog
Scientific Name: Rana blairi
Location: Eastern border of Colorado
Breeding Season: 

Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)

Common Name: Northern Leopard Frog
Scientific Name: Rana pipiens
Location: Northern and western borders of the state
Breeding Season: Spring

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. The Northern Leopard Frog and Plains Leopard Frog appear identical. They both have large spots all over their body. The difference between the frogs lies in their dorsal ridge. The Northern Leopard Frog’s ridge runs straight down the side while the Plains Leopard Frog’s ridge indents near the butt.

Tree Frog Family – Hylidae

Common Name: Canyon Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Hyla arenicolor
Location: Southern part of the state
Breeding Season:

The Canyon Tree Frog has no stripe through eye. Skin is rather rough. It has distinct toe-pads used for climbing

Boreal Chorus Frog (Pseudacris maculata)

Common Name: Boreal Chorus Frog
Scientific Name: Pseudacris maculata
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season: Spring

The Boreal Chorus Frog is a small sized Chorus Frog, ranging from brown, red, tan, to olive in color. The Boreal Chorus Frog has three lines down back that makes it identifiable.

Common Name: Blanchard’s Cricket Frog
Scientific Name: Acris blanchardi
Location: Eastern edge of the state
Breeding Season: 

The Northern Cricket Frog is the only cricket frog in the state. It has no distinct marks.

Toads

Colorado is blessed to have toads from 3 different families.

True Toad  Family – Bufonidae

The True Toads are your typical toad. They usually have a parotid gland behind their eyes that contain a toxin. It is not advised to let your dog eat these guys.

Common Name: Great Plains Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus cognatus
Location: Eastern border of the state
Breeding Season:

The Great Plains Toad has a V shaped cranial crest on their head that make them identifiable.

Video of a male Great Plains Toad calling by Annika Enloe

Common Name: Woodhouse’s Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus woodhousi
Location: Everywhere besides in the Rocky Mountains
Breeding Season:

The Woodhouse’s Toad has opposing L shaped cranial crests that can be used to identify them.

Common Name: Western Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus boreas
Location: Western half of Colorado
Breeding Season:

The Western Toad has no cranial crest, but has stripe down the middle of back.

Common Name: Green Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus debilis
Location: Southeastern corner
Breeding Season:

The Green Toad has no cranial crest, no stripe down middle of the back, and has elongated parotoid gland.

Common Name: Red Spotted Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus punctatus
Location: Southern half
Breeding Season:

No cranial crest. No stripe down middle of the back. Parotoid gland is also rather small.

Spadefoot Toad Family – Scaphiopodidae

Common Name: Couch’s Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name: Scaphiopus couchii
Location: Southeastern corner
Breeding Season:

The Couch’s Spadefoot Toad has a sickle-shaped spade on its rear foot that no other spadefoot toad in the state has.

Common Name: Great Basin Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name: Spea intermontana
Location: Northwestern part of the state
Breeding Season: 

The Great Basin Spadefoot Toad has a round-shape spade on its rear legs.  It has a glandular boss / bump between its eyes, making it identifiable.

Common Name: Mexican Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name: Spea multipicata
Location Southern half
Breeding Season:

The Mexican Spadefoot Toad has a round-shape spade on its rear legs. It does not have a boss / bump between its eyes.

Common Name: Plains Spadefoot Toad
Scientific Name: Spea bombifrons
Location: Eastern half
Breeding Season:

The Plains Spadefoot Toad has a round-shape spade on its rear leg. It has a bony boss / bump between its eyes.

Narrow Mouthed Toad Family – Microhylidae

Common Name: Great Plains Narrowed Mouth Toad
Scientific Name: Gastrophryne olivacea
Location: Southeast
Breeding Season:

The Great Plains Narrowed Mouth Toad is the only narrowed mouth toad in the state. It’s not a true toad because it lacks a parotoid gland behind its eye and doesn’t have a keratonized spade on its rear feet.