Frogs & Toad
Bull Frog
Lithobates catesbeuanus
Characteristics
Bullfrogs are the largest species of frog in Nova Scotia (and Canada). Bullfrogs can be difficult to distinguish from green frogs as they share many characteristics and comes down to small details to differentiate them. Their front toes are not webbed, and they have a fold of skin that protrudes from behind their eye and extends down around their tympanum. Their call can help distinguish them from green frogs, but it can be helpful to listen to both first to learn the differences.
Call
Deep bassy call sounding like "jug-o-rum" or "rum-rum-rum".
Status
Not Listed (Nova Scotia)
Habitat
Can be found in most water bodies and prefer vegetated waters.
Range
Can be found throughout mainland Nova Scotia, but currently is not known to occur in Cape Breton.
Green Frog
Lithobates clamitans
Characteristics
Green frogs despite their name can appear in a variety of colors, but most commonly green. Green frogs can be difficult to distinguish from Bullfrogs as they share many characteristics and comes down to small details to differentiate them. They typically display dorsal ridges which are folds of skin that extend from the head, down the body along the back of the frog, running parallel to each other.
Call
The call resembles that of someone plucking a banjo string
Status
Not Listed (Nova Scotia)
Habitat
Can be found in most water bodies and prefer vegetated waters.
Range
Can be found throughout mainland Nova Scotia, and unlike Bullfrogs occur throughout Cape Breton as well.
Northern Leopard Frog
Lithobates pipiens
Characteristics
Northern Leopard frogs are bright green, with dark brown/black spots all over their body. Their spots are round in shape and randomly placed along their back. Their belly and upper lip are white in color.
Call
Similar to the Pickerel frog, the Leopard frog sounds like a snore followed by a few croaks.
Status
Not Listed (Nova Scotia)
Habitat
Leopard frogs use wetlands much like other frog species but can also be found in grassy areas, leading to the nickname: meadow or grass frog.
Range
Can be found throughout Nova Scotia.
Pickerel Frog
Lithobates palustris
Characteristics
Pickerel frogs are often an olive or brown color with roughly rectangular spots running in two rows along their back. They also have dark bands on their hind legs. Their undersides are whiteish, sometimes with orange.
Call
The pickerel frog sounds similar to the Leopard frog but lacks the grunts after the long low snore sound.
Status
Not Listed (Nova Scotia)
Habitat
Can be found in most water bodies and prefer vegetated waters.
Range
Can be found throughout Nova Scotia.
Wood Frog
Lithobates sylvaticus
Characteristics
Wood frogs are typically brown or tan in color with a dark brown mask on each side of their head, behind each eye. Their lip and belly are mostly white, they have stripes on their hind legs, and can have some spotting along their body.
Call
The Wood frog sounds much like its clucking.
Status
Not Listed (Nova Scotia)
Habitat
Can be found in damp mixed forests, and use wetlands for mating.
Range
Can be found throughout Nova Scotia.
Northern Spring Peeper
Pseudacris crucifer
Characteristics
Peepers are the smallest of Nova Scotia's frogs and have the loudest call. They are small enough that they could sit comfortably on a loonie. They do not have any webbing on their feet but have little sticky pads on their toes. Peepers can come in a variety of colors from tan, grey, and light brown to dark brown, with a white underside. They have darker markings on their back shaped like an "X" and a slight "V" between their eyes.
Call
The Spring Peeper is an iconic sound that people associate with the coming of spring and can be heard up to 500m away! Their call consists of several single high-pitched peeps repeated.
Status
Not Listed (Nova Scotia)
Habitat
Can be found in marshes, bogs, ponds, and within the forest areas near their breeding waterbodies.
Range
Can be found throughout Nova Scotia.
Mink Frog
Lithobates septentrionalis
Characteristics
Mink frogs are notorious for being difficult to identify, sharing similarities to Nova Scotia's two most common frog species (Green frogs and Bullfrogs). They are olive green to brown with dark splotches along their body. They have a white or off-white underside. The key to identifying Mink frogs lies in the feet and smell, the webbing on the hind feet reaches to the last joint on the 4th (longest) toe. When attempting to confirm ID on a mink frog, it's best to take a photo of the hind feet! They also have acquired their name from their musky odor.
Call
Similar to the Green frog call, the mink frog call sounds similar but is far more rapid and lacks the reverb that the Green frog call has.
Status
Not Listed (Nova Scotia)
Habitat
Can be found in slow-flowing waters with lots of vegetation.
Range
Can be found throughout Nova Scotia.
Eastern American Toad
Anaxyrus americanus
Characteristics
The only toad species in Nova Scotia, the Eastern American Toad displays bumpy brown, olive, or reddish skin. The bumps can be slightly reddish making them look like warts. Toads have short legs, white bellies, and slight webbing on the hind feet. Behind each eye, they have a gland that protrudes slightly. Young toads can be confused with Spring Peepers as their habitat can overlap, and the gland behind the eye may not be fully developed yet.
Call
The toad call consists of one long trill, that lasts up to 30 seconds.
Status
Not Listed (Nova Scotia)
Habitat
Can be virtually anywhere, but more common near wetland areas where they can breed.
Range
Can be found throughout Nova Scotia.
