Wood Frog

Wood Frogs are brown or tan-coloured. A dark brown mask on the sides of the head has earned them the nickname "robber frog", although the mask is not obvious in breeding males. Some females in red sandstone areas may become red coloured.

Egg masses

Wood Frog tadpole

Wood Frogs and Spring Peepers are the first amphibians to emerge in spring. The males, which usually far outnumber the females, congregate on the surface in vegetated areas of ponds. The call is a hoarse racket like a number of ducks quacking in a distant pond. Males are vocal all night long, if temperatures are above freezing. At night, you may see pairs of frogs in amplexus, with the smaller male gripping the female tightly behind her forearms. Breeding is over by May in most regions. Females lay fist-sized jelly masses of about 1000 eggs. The tadpoles develop rapidly and transform during July and August.

Except for breeding, Wood Frogs live in damp deciduous or mixed woods. They begin feeding after the spawning season. They eat a variety of insects and other small invertebrates, especially spiders, beetles, bugs, moth larvae, slugs and snails.

Typical calling position