Frogs and Toads of Manitoba, Canada

If you are looking to identify certain frogs and toads of Manitoba 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: Throughout the province
Breeding Season: Once the ice 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. After breeding season, they are often found in the woods, far away from any water bodies.

Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)

Common Name: Northern Leopard Frog
Scientific Name: Rana pipiens
Location:
Breeding Season: 

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. 

Green Frog (Rana clamitans)

Common Name: Green Frog
Scientific Name: Rana clamitans
Location: 
Breeding Season: 

The Green 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.

Common Name: Mink Frog
Scientific Name: Rana septrentionalis
Location: 
Breeding Season:

The Mink Frog’s dorsal ridge is absent or weak. They are highly marbled.

Tree Frog family – Hylidae

Cope’s Gray Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis) and Eastern Gray Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor)

Common Name: Eastern Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Hyla veriscolor
Location: 
Breeding Season:

Common Name: Cope’s Gray Tree Frog
Scientific Name: Hyla chrysoscelis
Location: Throughout state
Breeding Season:  End of April to early August

The Cope’s Gray Tree Frog and Eastern Gray Tree Frog are nearly identical. The only differences are their calls and chromosome numbers. Here’s a video I took of the Eastern Gray Tree Frog calling.

Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)

Common Name: Spring Peeper
Scientific Name: Pseudacris crucifer
Location: 
Breeding Season:

The Spring Peeper has a distinct X shape on its back. It is one of the first frogs to start calling during spring.

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: 
Breeding Season: 

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.

Here’s a video of one calling that I took.

Toads

True Toad family – Bufonidae

American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus)

Common Name: American Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus americanus
Location: 
Breeding Season:

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. The American Toad’s cranial crest forms opposing L shapes. The toads can be found pretty much anywhere including urban areas.

Here’s a video of one calling

Common Name: Great Plains Toad
Scientific Name: Anaxyrus cognatus
Location:
Breeding Season:

The Great Plains Toad is a medium sized toad with pairs of dark blotches down their back. The toads are brown, gray, or green in color. A white stripe down their back can be seen on some individuals. The toad has a V shaped cranial crest on their head with a boss (bump) in between the eyes.

Video of a male Great Plains Toad calling by Annika Enloe

Spadefoot Toad family – Scaphiopodidae

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

The Plains Spadefoot Toad is a small to medium sized toad that is gray, brown, or tan in color. They have elliptical, vertical pupils that are snake-like. The toad has a bony boss (bump between the eyes). Its spade has a round shape.