Northern Leopard Frog

Northern Leopard Frogs are found near ponds and marshes across Canada and in most parts of the United States. They can be found as far north as Great Slave Lake as well as in the mountains. They are also known as Meadow or Grass Frogs because they sometimes hop up onto lawns and golf courses in the summer when they've finished breeding.

Northern Leopard Frogs (3-5 in) are green-brown with dark round spots on their back and legs and a white belly. Prominent light-colored folds of skin run down either side of their back. They breed from mid- to late spring, laying 3,500 to 7,000 eggs in slow-moving water. The tadpoles are green or brown with yellow or black speckles and a white belly and hatch in 1-3 weeks, depending on the temperature. They turn into frogs in mid- to late summer.

Could it be? Pickerel Frogs, found in southeast Canada and the United States, are similar in appearance but have square spots arranged in rows and bright yellow or orange patches on the inside of their thighs.

Did you know? Northern Leopard Frogs will eat anything they can fit in their mouth and have been known to eat small birds and snakes. They sit still, wait for their prey, and then leap and grab it with their long sticky tongue.

See Also: Boreal Chorus Frog, Canadian Toad, Columbia Spotted Frog, Pacific Tree Frog, Plains Spadefoot Toad, Western Toad, Wood Frog

Easy - numerous and usually easy to spot in the habitats listed at the appropriate time of year.

Grasslands are large open areas covered with grasses. They have very few trees or shrubs. This habitat includes prairies and tundra.

Mountains are very high areas of land with steep sides leading to a peak. They are often connected to other mountains as part of a mountain range.

Wetlands are low-lying areas that are covered by water all or most of the time and support a variety of aquatic plants. This habitat includes rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, bogs, and marshes.