Frogs and Toads of Washington
The States of Washington is home to a many different species of frogs and toads. Learn about them and how to identify them below.
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
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 has a yellowish underside and not well-defined spots on its body. Dorsal ridge down its side.
Common Name: Columbia Spotted Frog
Scientific Name: Rana luteiventris
Location: Cascades and eastern half
Breeding Season: February to July
The Columbia Spotted Frog has small spots all over its body and a reddish belly.
Common Name: Oregon Spotted Frog
Scientific Name: Rana pretiosa
Location: Black River and Conboy Lake
Breeding Season: February to July
The Oregon Spotted Frog has a red belly that doesn’t have spots on it. The Frog has a more reddish appearance than the Columbia Spotted Frog or the Cascade Frog.
Common Name: Northern Red-Legged Frog
Scientific Name: Rana aurora
Location: West of Cascades
Breeding Season: January to April
The Northern Red-Legged Frog has a red belly that is spotted. The dorsal ridge is full on the frog.
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 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
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
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 lacks a cranial crest which separates it from the other toads in the state.
Common Name: Woodhouse’s Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus woodhousi
Location: Southwestern area
Breeding Season: March – July
The Woodhouse’s Toad has a cranial crest that looks like two opposing L’s.
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
Great Basin Spadefoot Toad is the only spadefoot toad in the state of Washington. It has a spade on each of its rear feet and elliptical eyes which make it easy to distinguish.
Introduced
American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)
Common Name: American Bullfrog
Scientific Name: Rana catesbeiana
Location: Statewide
Breeding Season: Spring and Summer
Common Name: Green Frog
Scientific Name: Rana clamitans
Location: Toad Lake and Lake Gillete
Breeding Season: Spring – Summer
The American Bull Frog and the Green Frog have both been introduced to the state and can cause problems for native species. Both frogs are rather large and have ferocious appetites.
