Toads and Frogs in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
If you are looking to identify specific toads and frogs in the Upper Peninsula 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 in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
True Frog family – Ranidae
American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeianus)
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.
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. The Green Frog looks very much like the American Bullfrog but it’s a tad smaller. It has a dorsal ridge that runs down its back but they are incomplete and do not reach all the way.
The Mink Frog gets its name after the smell it produces when being handled. They spend most of their time near and in lakes, ponds, and stream. The Mink Frog has a marbled look to it compared to the other frogs.
Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)
The Northern Leopard Frog has regular circles around its body. It also has a complete dorsal ridge. The Northern Leopard Frog varies in color from dark brown to slim green.
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.
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.
Tree Frog family – Hylidae
Eastern Gray Tree Frog (Hyla veriscolor) and Cope’s Gray Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis)
The Eastern Gray Tree Frog and the Cope’s Gray Tree Frog are identical to the eye. The differences between the two lies in the calls and their chromosome numbers. These frogs are not just gray, they can also be green in color.
Here is a video of some Eastern Gray Tree Frog males calling that I took
Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)
The Spring Peeper is one of the first frogs to start calling at the start of spring. They are known for the X marking on their back.
Video of a Spring Peeper calling, thanks to M Dwyer, @MustelidDwyer on twitter
Boreal Chorus Frog (Pseudacris maculata)
The Boreal Chorus Frog has 3 lines down the back of their back. While they are part of the tree frog family, they are often on the ground in the leaf litter.
True Toad family – Bufonidae
There is only one toad found in the UP, making it easy to identify.
American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus)
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 undersides are speckled. The American Toads’s parotid gland does not touch or connected to it by a spur.
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