Frogs

Bullfrog

The bullfrog is the largest Minnesotan frog, sometimes reaching 8 inches long with the legs retracted. Most bullfrogs are green, but some have brown splotches, too. The belly is lighter than the rest of the body, with a light gray, or yellow tinge.

The Bullfrog's call sounds like some sort of horrible, broken fan that had children with a cow. For me, it is easily identifiable because it hurts my ears.

(You can also hear some Green frogs and birds in this clip)

Green Frog

Green Frogs are the second largest in Minnesota. They can reach up to about 4 inches long. Most green frogs are green (surprise!), but some are bronze colored.

The Green Frog has a very distinctive "DWANG"-type call. It's kind of like strumming a loose banjo string, or plucking a rubber band.

Grey Treefrog

The Grey Treefrog is very hard to tell apart from its cousin, the Cope's Grey Treefrog. Grey is kind of a poor descriptor of these frogs, as they are often a bright green or even blue color during the summer.

The Grey Treefrog has a warbling trill that sounds a lot like some kind of alien bird.

Northern Leopard Frog

The best known frog in Minnesota, the Northern Leopard Frog has a highly identifiable "Leopard" print pattern all over its body. It grows to be 2 to 3 inches long, and is usually a green or brown color, with a white belly.

The Northern Leopard Frog has a "two-stage" call. The first part sounds like some kind of rattling woodpecker. The second stage is like some sort of sinister, low chuckle. These frogs are easy to identify because they sound generally evil.

Spring Peeper

The Spring Peeper is a small, light tan to dark brown frog. You can't see it too well in the picture, but Spring Peepers have a prominent dark "X" marking on their back.

The Peeper's call is very easily identifiable. Simply put, it sounds like a little peep! It is very cool when there are a lot of them in one group.

Boreal Chorus Frog

The Boreal Chorus Frog is a small, roughly inch long frog. Its color scheme highly variable, but generally it is a brownish color. It has a dark band running from the snout down the side, as well as some splotchy marks on the back.

The Boreal Chorus Frog has a call that sounds like the noise that is created when you run your fingers over the teeth of a small comb.

Wood Frog

The wood frog ranges from about two to three inches in length. They live in the woods (hence the name) and thus are usually decaying leaf colors (Brown, tan, rusty color, etc.). They also have a dark mask across their eyes.

The Wood Frog has a call that sounds like some sort of weird little chuckle.

American Toad

American Toads are fairly large, growing up to 4.5 inches long. They are usually brownish colored. They all have warts, and also have a light stripe going down the center of their back. Unlike frogs, toads have dry skin. No, they cannot give you warts.

The American Toad has a high pitched "REEEEEEEEEEE" type trill, that lasts for an extended period of time.

Cope's Grey Treefrog

Cope's Gray Treefrog is about two inches long, and is pretty much indistinguishable from its cousin, the Gray Treefrog. The coloration is normally green or mottled grey

The Cope's Grey Treefrog has a more screechy call than the Grey Treefrog. To me, it kinda sounds like some sort of computer.

Mink Frog

The mink frog is generally a splotchy green-brown, with the males having a bright yellow throat. They also have a very obviously-placed eardrum!

The Mink Frog has a call that sounds kind of clattery, like a horse's hooves on a cobblestone road.

Northern Cricket Frog

The Northern Cricket Frog is a small (1 1/2 inch) long little frog with warty skin. They have a rearward-facing triangle between their eyes.

The Cricket Frog sounds a lot like clacking two pebbles together, or the rattling of a can of spray paint.

Pickerel Frog

The Pickerel Frog is hard to distinguish from the Leopard frog. It has the same dotty pattern on its back, however, the Pickerel Frog's blotches are more square in appearance. The blotches may blend together to form one big rectangle.

The Pickerel Frog sounds a lot like... well, cartoon flatulence.

Great Plains Toad

The Great Plains Toad is a largish toad, two to four inches in length, with brownish skin. It has dark spots all over its back.

The Great Plains Toad has a call that sounds like a computer (similar to Cope's Gray Treefrog), but is much more sustained and chattery.