5 Types of Frogs Found in Wyoming! (ID Guide)

What kind of frogs can you find in Wyoming?”

Common Wyoming Frogs

I love finding, observing, and hearing frogs!

Even as a kid, I used to patrol the swamps by my house, catching them and then trying to sell them as pets to cars passing by. As you can imagine, no one was interested in buying my frogs, and I ended up letting them go at the end of each day. 🙂

Today, I’m providing a guide to teach you about the different kinds of frogs found in Wyoming.

One of the BEST ways to find frogs is to learn the noises they make. So, in addition to pictures, you will find audio samples for each species below!

5 Frog Species in Wyoming:


#1. American Bullfrog

  • Lithobates catesbeianus

Types of Frogs that live in Wyoming

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Adult body lengths range from 3.6 to 6 inches.
  • Coloration is typically olive green, with some individuals having gray or brown mottling or spots.
  • Fully webbed back feet.

The American Bullfrog is the largest frog in Wyoming!

Believe it or not, they can grow to weigh as much as 1.5 pounds (.7 kg). Unfortunately, these massive frogs are not native to Wyoming and were introduced from the eastern half of the country. Their giant appetites can be incredibly destructive to native ecosystems in the northwest corner of the state.

American Bullfrog Range Map

american bullfrog range map

Green = native range. Red = introduced range.

Bullfrogs can be found in permanent bodies of water, including swamps, ponds, and lakes. During the breeding season, the male frogs select egg sites in shallow waters, which they defend aggressively. A female will then select a male by entering his territory.

They are named for their deep call, which is thought to sound like a bull bellowing.

YouTube video

Bullfrogs are known to eat just about anything they can fit in their mouth and swallow! The list of prey includes other frogs, fish, turtles, small birds, bats, rodents, insects, crustaceans, and worms. I have personally witnessed one even trying to eat a baby duck!


#2. Northern Leopard Frog

  • Lithobates pipiens

Kinds of Frogs in Wyoming

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Adults range from 2 to 4.5 inches long.
  • Smooth skin is green, brown, or yellow-green with large dark spots.
  • Lighter-colored raised ridges extend down the length of the back.

You can spot Northern Leopard Frogs in Wyoming near slow-moving bodies of water with lots of vegetation. You might see them in or near ponds, lakes, streams, and marshes. I love how bright green most individuals appear!

Northern Leopard Frog Range Map

northern leopard frog range map

Due to their fairly large size, these frogs eat various foods, including worms, crickets, flies, and small frogs, snakes, and birds. In one study, a bat was even observed being eaten!

During the spring breeding season, the males will float in shallow pools emitting a low call thought to sound a bit like snoring. The Northern Leopard Frog may also make a high, loud, screaming call if captured or startled.

YouTube video

Northern Leopard Frog populations are declining in many areas, and the cause is not exactly known. It’s thought to be some combination of habitat loss, drought, introduced fish, environmental contaminants, and disease.


#3. Boreal Chorus Frog

  • Pseudacris maculata

Wyoming Frogs species

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Adults range from 1 to 1.5 inches long.
  • Coloration is brown, olive green, or tan with three dark stripes down the back that are sometimes broken into blotches.
  • Prominent black stripe on each side from nostril, through the eye, and down the sides to the groin.
  • Looks very similar to the Western Chorus Frog. Boreal Chorus Frogs are distinguished by having shorter legs.

While the Boreal Chorus Frog can be common in Wyoming, they are rarely seen. They’re small and secretive, inhabiting moist meadows and forests near wetlands.

Boreal Chorus Frog Range Map

Credit: U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior/USGSchorus frog range map - boreal, western, upland

 

These frogs breed in shallow temporary ponds and pools such as flooded fields and roadside ditches. They require waters free of fish; otherwise, most of their eggs and tadpoles would be eaten!

Males produce a loud chorus of calls at breeding sites, which are easy to identify.

YouTube video

The sound has been compared to someone running a finger over the teeth of a comb (“reeeek“). You’re most likely to hear the calls in the late afternoon or evening.


#4. Wood Frog

  • Lithobates sylvaticus

Frogs species that live in Wyoming

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Adult body lengths range from 1.5 to 3.25 inches.
  • Coloration is various shades of brown, gray, red, or green, with females tending to be more brightly colored.
  • Distinct black marking across the eyes, which resembles a mask.

As the name suggests, Wood Frogs are found in parts of Wyoming in moist woodland habitats, including forested swamps, ravines, and bogs. They travel widely and visit seasonal pools to breed.

Wood Frog Range Map

wood frog range map

This incredible little frog has a wide range across North America. They have adapted to cold climates by being able to freeze over the winter. Their breathing and heartbeat stop, and their bodies produce a type of antifreeze that prevents their cells from bursting. In the spring, they thaw and begin feeding again.

Interestingly, Wood Frogs seem to be able to recognize their family. Scientists have found that as tadpoles, siblings will seek each other out and group together!

Wood Frogs are one of the first amphibians to emerge after the snow melts.

YouTube video

Listen for a call that sounds a bit like a clucking chicken near vernal pools and other small bodies of water!


#5. Columbia Spotted Frog 

  • Rana luteiventris

columbia spotted frog

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Green or brown with black spots on its back
  • The upper lip and belly are white.
  • Compared to other frogs, they have shorter back legs, upturned eyes, and a narrower snout.

You will almost always find Columbia Spotted Frogs near permanent bodies of water, such as ponds, lakes, slow-moving streams, and marshes. In addition, they need lots of vegetation to provide adequate protection because many different predators hunt them!

Females lay up to 1,300 eggs at a time in shallow water. Interestingly, once laid, this mass of eggs absorbs water and can grow to the size of a softball! And these eggs are not attached to anything, so they just float around until the tadpoles are ready to hatch.

To attract a female, male frogs will sing a song that ranges from long, deep sounds to clicks. You can listen to an example of the clicks below:

YouTube video

Do you need additional help identifying frogs?

Try this field guide!


Which of these frogs have you seen in Wyoming?

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