Identification
Eastern Spadefoot Toad
- Scientific name:
- Scaphiopus holbrookii
- Status:
- This secretive, burrowing species is rare in Missouri due to the draining of wetlands and loss of native sand prairies
- Features:
- A stout, toadlike amphibian with large, protruding eyes, vertically elliptical pupils, short legs and large feet. The inner surface of each hind foot has a sickle-shaped spur or spade.
- Color:
- light brown to yellow-brown. The head, back and upper part of the legs are mottled with dark brown. There are usually two or three light yellow-brown stripes along the back. The belly is pale gray to white.
- Size:
- from 1 ¾ to 2 ¼ inches in head-body length.
- Habitat:
- Prefers open areas with sandy or loose soil.
- Diet:
- Eats a variety of insects.
- Breeding:
- Breeds in temporarily flooded fields or ditches during warm, rainy weather in spring or summer.
- Call:
- A quick series of coarse errrah, errrah, errrah sounds.
Download this sound - Missouri Range:
- Eastern counties along the Mississippi River and southeastern sections of the state
Plains Spadefoot
- Scientific name:
- Spea bombifrons
- Features:
- These small toadlike amphibians have large, protruding eyes. The pupils of their eyes are vertical and elliptical. The hind legs are short, and the underside of each hind foot has a distinct, wedge-shaped spade, hence its name.
- Color:
- There may be some green on the sides. The small, irregular blotches on the back and legs are dark brown and may encircle the majority of their tiny warts.
- Size:
- From 1 ½ to 2 inches in head-body length.
- Habitat:
- Prairies and open-river flood plains. It hides in burrows in sandy soil and becomes active at night, especially after heavy summer rains.
- Diet:
- Eats a variety of insects.
- Breeding:
- April and May.
- Call:
- A long, rasping, nasal garvank.
Download this sound - Range:
- Missouri River floodplain from St. Louis to the northwestern corner of the state.
Eastern American Toad
- Scientific name:
- Bufo americanus americanus
- Features:
- Missouri’s most common toad. The American toad is medium-sized and has a large, kidney-shaped gland called the parotoid gland behind each eye. The pupil of each eye is horizontal.
- Color:
- May be gray, light brown or reddish-brown. The dark spots on the back may encircle from one to three warts. The belly is cream-colored and mottled with dark gray.
- Size:
- From 2 to 3 inches in headbody length. Females generally are larger than males.
- Diet:
- Eats earthworms and a wide variety of insects.
- Breeding:
- American toads
select woodland ponds or water-filled
ditches for breeding in late
March, April and early May. - Call:
- A sustained, high-pitched musical
trill.
Download this sound - Range:
- Throughout the northern half of the state, but intergrades with, and is replaced by the dwarf American toad, Bufo americanus charlesmithi, (a sub-species or geographic race) in the southern half of the state
Great Plains Toad
- Scientific name:
- Bufo cognatus
- Status:
- Rare in Missouri, but found throughout the Great Plains.
- Features:
- The skin is covered with many small warts. Unlike other toads in Missouri, Great Plains toad have a raised hump (known as a “boss”) between the eyes.
- Color:
- Large, dark
brown or green, paired blotches
encircled by white or tan lines are
found on the body. The belly is cream-colored. - Size:
- Ranges from 2 to 3 inches.
- Habitat:
- Found along the Missouri River floodplain where it hides in burrows by day. At night it emerges to feed.
- Diet:
- Ants, beetles and other insects.
- Breeding:
- Lays several thousand eggs in flooded fields, ditches and temporary pools after heavy spring and summer rains.
- Call:
- A loud, chugging sound—chee-ga,
chee-ga, chee-ga—that lasts 20 to 50 seconds.
Download this sound - Range:
- Restricted to the floodplain of the Missouri River from central Missouri to the northeastern corner of the state
Fowler's Toad
- Scientific name:
- Bufo fowleri
- Features:
- Typically have paired dark markings with three or more warts.
- Color:
- May have a ground color of gray, greenish-gray, tan or brown. There is often a thin, white stripe down the back. The belly is cream-colored, and there may be a dark gray spot on the chest.
- Size:
- Ranges from 2 ½ to 4 inches in head-body length.
- Habitat:
- Found along many Ozark streams and lowlands of southern Missouri. Often found on river sand or gravel bars and in river floodplains where the soil is sandy. As with other toads, this amphibian remains hidden in burrows by day, becoming active at night to hunt.
- Diet:
- Eats a variety of insects.
- Breeding:
- Late April to early June.
- Call:
- A short, nasal w-a-a-a-h, lasting from 1 to 2 ½ seconds.
Download this sound - Range:
- Found over most of the eastern and southern parts of Missouri
Woodhouse’s Toad
- Scientific name:
- Bufo woodhousii
- Features:
- Very similar in appearance to the Fowler’s toad. Unlike Fowler’s toad, this species typically has irregular placed dark markings with the number of warts varying from one to six.
- Color:
- From gray,
greenish-gray, and tannish-gray to
brown. Often has a
white stripe down the back and typically does not have a dark spot on the chest.. The belly is white. - Size:
- Ranges from 2 ½ to 4 inches in head-body length.
- Habitat:
- Mainly found in sandy river bottoms.
- Diet:
- Eats a variety of insects.
- Breeding:
- Like other species of toads, this species lays several thousand eggs in flooded fields, ditches, ponds, pools and streams during late April to early June.
- Call:
- Similar to the Fowler’s toad but with a slightly lower pitch.
- Range:
- Found mainly along the Missouri River floodplain and along streams in the western part of the state.
Blanchard's Cricket Frog
- Scientific name:
- Acris crepitans blanchardi
- Features:
- A member of the treefrog family (Hylidae) but is a non-climber and lacks the adhesive toe pads associated with treefrogs.
- Color:
- Quite variable—gray, tan, greenish-tan or brown. The back may have a green, yellow, orange or brown stripe. There is always a dark triangle between the eyes.
- Size:
- Averages from 5/8 to 1 ½ inches in head-body length.
- Habitat:
- Commonly seen along the edges of ponds and rivers, especially on mud flats and gravel bars. This species avoids predators by a series of quick, erratic hops.
- Breeding:
- Late April to early July
- Call:
- A metallic gick, gick, gick.
Download this sound - Range:
- Statewide
Green Treefrog
- Scientific name:
- Hyla cinerea
- Features:
- Distinct round, adhesive pads are found on all digits.
- Color:
- This bright green frog’s coloration is normally light green, but during cool weather it may be dark green. There is always a white or pale yellow line running from the upper lip down along the sides. Some yellow spots may also be present on the back. The belly is white or yellowish.
- Size:
- Average from 1 ¼ to 2 ¼ inches in body length.
- Habitat:
- Lives in the last
remaining cypress swamps, sloughs
and oxbow lakes of outheastern
Missouri. They hide in green leaves during the day and become active at night when they hunt. - Diet:
- Eats a insects.
- Breeding:
- Mainly during the summer
- Call:
- A series of measured, nasal quank, quank, quank, which
is normally not heard until after sundown. Its call is
a noticeable part of the nighttime sounds of our cypress swamps.
Download this sound - Range:
- Natural range includes Mississippi lowlands in southeastern Missouri, along with an introduced population in Camden County.
Gray Treefrog
- Scientific name:
- Hyla chrysoscelis and Hyla versicolor
- Features:
- Gray treefrogs are Missouri’s most common species of treefrog. Two species of gray treefrogs occur in Missouri: Cope’s gray treefrog, Hyla chrysoscelis, and the eastern gray treefrog, Hyla versicolor. There is always a large, white marking below each eye. Large, adhesive toe pads are present on fingers and toes.
- Color:
- May be gray, greenish-gray or
brown. Bright green specimens are
often seen. The inside of each hind leg is washed with yellow-orange. - Size:
- Average from 1 ¼ to 2 inches in head-body length.
- Habitat:
- Forest-dwelling
- Breeding:
- Late May and early June in fishless, woodland ponds.
- Call:
- These two species are nearly identical in appearance and
are best separated by their calls. Cope’s gray treefrog sounds like a
buzzer, while the eastern gray treefrog has a birdlike, musical trill.
Download this sound - Range:
- Both species are found statewide.
Northern Spring Peeper
- Scientific name:
- Pseudacris crucifer crucifer
- Features:
- This small species has reduced adhesive toe pads, and spends most of the time on the forest floor or in low shrubbery.
- Color:
- Pinkish, gray or light tan
treefrog with a dark X-mark on
the back. - Size:
- Average from ¾ to 1 ¼ inch in head-body length.
- Habitat:
- This woodland
species lives near ponds, streams
and swamps where there is thick
undergrowth. Spring peepers are active from late winter to late fall. - Breeding:
- Mainly in late February to mid-May in small, fishless woodland ponds.
- Call:
- Their voices are a
true announcement of spring. Their high-pitched, peeping call can
be heard on warm spring nights and also during the day in early
summer and fall.
Download this sound - Range:
- Nearly statewide, but not found in northwestern Missouri
Western Chorus Frog
- Scientific name:
- Pseudacris triseriata
- Features:
- This small, secretive frog is found on grasslands, meadows and forest edges.
- Color:
- May be gray or tan with three wide, dark stripes or a series of spots down the back and a wide, dark brown stripe on the sides. The belly is white.
- Size:
- from ¾ to 1 ½ inches in head-body length.
- Habitat:
- Seldom seen and spend most of the summer underground in animal burrows or in clumps of grass.
- Breeding:
- Early spring in temporarily flooded fields and ditches.
- Call:
- A rasping,
vibrating prreeep, which sounds similar to running a fingernail over
the small teeth of a pocket comb.
Download this sound - Range:
- Nearly statewide; not found in southeastern Missouri
Upland Chorus Frog
- Scientific name:
- Pseudacris feriarum feriarum
- Features:
- Similar in appearance to the western chorus frog.
- Color:
- Gray or tan in color with three narrow or broken series of dashes down the back. The belly is white.
- Size:
- from ¾ to 1 3/8 inches in head-body length.
- Habitat:
- Seeks shelter during the daytime under leaf litter, under logs, or bark on the forest floor. Occurs in small patches of woods, swamps and river bottomland forest.
- Diet:
- Forages for insects and spiders at night on the surface of the forest floor.
- Breeding:
- Late winter and early spring in temporary pools, flooded fields and ditches near forests. This species is presumed to hybridize with western chorus frog in the zone of overlap.
- Call:
- Similar to the western chorus frog but has a longer and lower pitched call.
- Range:
- Southeastern Missouri
Illinois Chorus Frog
- Scientific name:
- Pseudacris streckeri illinoensis
- Status:
- Rare in Missouri due to destruction of temporary pools and loss of native sand prairies where it lives.
- Features:
- This member of the treefrog family acts more like a toad. Has a V-shaped mark between the eyes and a dark spot below each eye. This small, burrowing chorus frog has large, muscular forelegs that are used for digging.
- Color:
- May be tan or gray, with dark brown or gray markings.
- Size:
- Average from 1 to 1 5/8 inches in head-body length.
- Habitat:
- Spends most of its life underground in sandy soil.
- Breeding:
- Early Spring
- Call:
- High-pitched, birdlike
whistle
Download this sound - Range:
- Mississippi lowlands of southeastern Missouri
Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad
- Scientific name:
- Gastrophryne carolinensis
- Features:
- An unusual little amphibian that is seldom seen. There is a fold of skin behind its narrow, pointed head.
- Color:
- Tan or gray in color with a dark, wedge-shaped marking on the back and a wide, dark stripe on each side. Its belly is heavily mottled.
- Size:
- 7/8 to 1 1/4 inches in head-body length.
- Habitat:
- Lives under flat rocks or other objects in dry woodlands or near some large-river floodplains. May be found under rocks in glades.
- Diet:
- Mostly ants.
- Breeding:
- May and June.
- Call:
- A bleating, nasal
baaaa, which sounds like a lamb.
Download this sound - Range:
- Throughout most of the southern half of the state.
Great Plains Narrow-mouthed Toad
- Scientific name:
- Gastrophryne olivacea
- Features:
- Like the eastern narrowmouthed, this species has a plump body, small pointed head, and a fold of skin behind the eyes.
- Color:
- Typically uniform in color from tan to gray or olive green. The belly is white.
- Size:
- 7/8 to 1 1/2 inches in head-body length.
- Habitat:
- Found mainly in grasslands but also along rocky wooded hills and edges of marshes.
- Diet:
- Mostly ants.
- Breeding:
- Breeds during warm, heavy rains in summer in temporary pools, flooded fields and ditches.
- Call:
- A high-pitched short peel that sounds similar
to the buzz of a bee.
Download this sound - Range:
- Western Missouri and along the Missouri River floodplain
Northern Crayfish Frog
- Scientific name:
- Rana areolata circulosa
- Status:
- Rare in Missouri due to destruction of native prairie and temporary pools.
- Features:
- Missouri’s second largest species of frog. There is a faint ridge of raised skin along each side of the back. Seldom seen because of its secretive nature.
- Color:
- Tan or light gray, with numerous brown or black spots.
- Size:
- 3 to 4 inches in head-body length.
- Habitat:
- Live in native prairies and grasslands near small creeks or marshes. These frogs take shelter in crayfish burrows or other animal burrows.
- Diet:
- A variety of insects, spiders and small crayfish.
- Breeding:
- Early spring after heavy rains in fishless ponds.
- Call:
- A deep, loud, snoring gwwaaa can be heard from a
considerable distance.
Download this sound - Range:
- Prairie areas in the northern, central and western sections of Missouri
Plains Leopard Frog
- Scientific name:
- Rana blairi
- Features:
- This medium-sized spotted frog is found in pastures, prairies and marshes. The ridge of skin along each side of the back is broken, and the small posterior section is raised toward the back.
- Color:
- Generally tan, and the round spots on the back and sides may be brown, olive or dark green. Often has a dark spot on the snout, and the belly is white.
- Size:
- 2 to 3 ¾ inches in headbody length.
- Habitat:
- Mainly in former prairie regions and along river floodplains.
- Diet:
- A variety of insects and spiders. Preyed upon by ribbon and garter snakes.
- Breeding:
- Late spring in small ponds, marshes or flooded fields.
- Call:
- A rapid series of guttural chuck-chuck-chuck sounds.
Download this sound - Range:
- Throughout most of Missouri, except the Ozarks.
Bullfrog
- Scientific name:
- Rana catesbeiana
- Features:
- Missouri’s largest frog and the state amphibian. This is a game animal in Missouri with a season and daily bag limit. Consult the Wildlife Code of Missouri for regulations.
- Color:
- Ranges from green to olive to brown. The hind legs may be heavily marked with dark brown bars. Lacks the two ridges of skin (known as dorsolateral folds) along the sides of the back found on the other Rana species.
- Size:
- 3 ½ to 6 inches in head-body length.
- Habitat:
- Lives in a variety of permanent, aquatic habitats: swamps, marshes, sloughs, lakes, ponds, rivers and creeks.
- Diet:
- Eats insects, crayfish, frogs, small fish and other small animals.
- Breeding:
- a
- Call:
- Male
bullfrogs produce their familiar jug-o’-rum calls throughout the
summer.
Download this sound - Range:
- Statewide
Green Frog
- Scientific name:
- Rana clamitans melanota
- Features:
- Looks similar to the bullfrog but is smaller and has a ridge of skin along the sides of the back that is not found on bullfrogs. This is a game animal in Missouri. Consult the Wildlife Code of Missouri for regulations.
- Color:
- May be greenishbrown or brown, and the legs may have distinct dark spots or bars. The upper lip and parts of the head are often bright green. Adult males have a bright yellow throat.
- Size:
- 2 ¼ to 3 ½ inches in head-body length.
- Habitat:
- In the Ozarks, green frogs live along rocky creeks and in sloughs and woodland ponds. In northern Missouri, the species occurs in farm ponds and marshes.
- Breeding:
- Late April through June.
- Call:
- An explosive bong that sounds like a loose banjo string.
Download this sound - Range:
- Nearly statewide; intergrades with and is replaced by the bronze frog (Rana clamitans clamitans) in southeastern Missouri
Pickerel Frog
- Scientific name:
- Rana palustris
- Features:
- This medium-sized tan frog has square or rectangular-shaped markings in two parallel rows down the back. There is a wide ridge of skin along each side of the back.
- Color:
- Tan, with a wash of yellow along the underside of the hind legs.
- Size:
- 1 ¾ to 3 inches in head-body length.
- Habitat:
- Found in wet caves, along well-shaded
springs and creeks and in
damp woods. They use wet caves
as refuge in the summer to escape
hot, dry weather conditions and in
winter for protection against cold conditions. - Breeding:
- During the spring in fishless, woodland ponds, sloughs and waterfilled ditches.
- Call:
- A descending, low-pitched snore
lasting for several seconds.
Download this sound - Range:
- Southern half and the eastern edge of the state
Northern Leopard Frog
- Scientific name:
- Rana pipiens
- Status:
- Rare in Missouri.
- Features:
- This medium-sized frog has two skin folds running down each side of the back and dark spots on the back. To distinguish it from the plains leopard frog, look for a continuous, wide skin fold down each side of the back northern leopard frogs also have dark spots surrounded by light rings on their back and a dark spot on their short, blunt nose.
- Color:
- Brown or brown-green, with rounded dark spots compared to elongated dark spots found on southern leopard frogs.
- Size:
- 2 to 3 inches in head-body length.
- Habitat:
- Lives in or near marshes, flooded ditches and small ponds.
- Diet:
- Eats a variety of insects and spiders.
- Breeding:
- A female may lay up to 6,000 eggs in a shallow, grassy area of a marsh during late March through April.
- Call:
- A deep,
rattling snore with occasional clucking grunts.
Download this sound - Range:
- Only found in northwestern Missouri
Southern Leopard Frog
- Scientific name:
- Rana sphenocephala
- Features:
- Sometimes called the grass frog, this species can be distinguished from the plains leopard frog by the presence of some green on the back, the more elongated and fewer dark spots on the back, a more elongated snout and a continuous ridge of skin down each side of the back. During summer this species is known to venture far from water
- Color:
- Similar to the plains leopard frog, but with some green on the back and fewer dark spots on the back.
- Size:
- 2 to 3 1/2 inches in head-body length.
- Habitat:
- Water-filled ditches, ponds, sloughs, lakes, swamps and marshes.
- Diet:
- Eats a variety of insects and spiders and are preyed upon by ribbon and garter snakes.
- Breeding:
- Late winter or early spring. Each female may produce from 3,000 to 5,000 eggs.
- Call:
- A series of abrupt, chucklelike quacking sounds.
Download this sound - Range:
- Nearly statewide
Wood Frog
- Scientific name:
- Rana sylvatica
- Status:
- Rare in Missouri.
- Features:
- A thin ridge of skin is present along each side of the back. This northern species is called a “glacial relict” because they were pushed to the southern part of their range due to past glaciations.
- Color:
- Tan, pinkish-tan or brown frog with a dark, brown mask through the eye and ear.
- Size:
- 1 ½ to 2 ¾ inches in head-body length.
- Habitat:
- In Missouri, this species lives in cool, forested ravines where small, fishless ponds or pools are available for late winter to early spring breeding. They are known to overwinter on land beneath deep layers of leaves or under moist logs.
- Diet:
- A variety of insects and other invertebrates.
- Breeding:
- Late winter to early spring breeding in small, fishless ponds or pools.
- Call:
- A quick
series of waaaduck sounds.
Download this sound - Range:
- Scattered locations in eastern, southeastern and southwestern sections of the state with mature forest.
