Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary's

Common Frogs & Toads

Treefrogs Green Treefrog Squirrel Treefrog Pinewoods Treefrog Cuban Treefrog (exotic)

Frogs Southern Leopard Frog Pig Frog Little Grass Frog Greenhouse Frog (exotic)

Toads Oak Toad Additional Information Identifying Frogs by Sound (one page -- pdf)

Green Treefrog Hyla cinerea Description: from 1 1/4 to 2 1/2 inches; the female is larger than the male; tends to match the color of the object it's on but not always (some color variations are shown in the four photos at the left); most easily identified by white "racing stripe" down the side; also white on back of rear legs; can change color quickly but the stripe is always there although sometimes it is missing the dark border; tympanum is greenish to green-brown while the Squirrel Treefrog's tympanum is more brown to bronze Food: insects Call: regular call is higher pitched than Cuban or Squirrel Treefrogs, a ringing quenk-quenk; from a distance sounds almost cowbell-like; calls most frequently at times of rain rain call is a single, high-pitched bark Habitat: on plant stems, in trees and shrubs; near water; stays relatively close to the ground; most active at night; from boardwalk-- most commonly seen on stalks and leaves of alligator flag and sawgrass Range: entire state Breeding: breeds between March and October; breeds in water at least several feet deep in permanent ponds (most other frogs breed in shallow temporary ponds created by rainfall) More: additional informaton about Green Treefrogs

Squirrel Treefrog Hyla squirella Description: 7/8 to 1 5/8 inches; mostly green with yellow around mouth and under chin; lacks defined white side stripe of Green Treefrog, but does have a slight yellowish side stripe; back may sometimes have mottled appearance; tympanum (ear drum -- the spot behind the eyes) is always brownish to bronze-colored Food: insects Call: regular call is a nasal trill, like an angry goose, quonk-quonk; lower in pitch than the Green Treefrog rain call sounds like an angry squirrel fussing at something (hence the name Squirrel Treefrog); can be heard at any time during breeding season, but most frequently close to rain storms Habitat: Moist, marshy areas, near ponds and lakes, but adapts to suburban developments and is frequently found around buildings -- will crawl into hanging pvc pipe or large pipes of wind chimes during the day; in natural areas, found higher up than Green or Cuban Treefrogs; most active at night; on boardwalk, frequently well-hidden in vines and on alligator flag leaves; from boardwalk-- may be seen and heard anywhere in cypress and pine forests Range: entire state Breeding: breeds between March and October, but mostly during rainy season, in flooded depressions and roadside ditches

Pinewoods Treefrog Hyla femoralis Description: 1 to 1 3/4 inches; mostly grayish-brown with a slight reddish cast to its back so it matches treebark; can change colors to green when on green leaves; many individuals have dark band that runs from the nostril through the eye; frequently confused with the Squirrel Treefrog, but no yellow around mouth or underparts; hard to identify absolutely unless the frog is captured, back legs pulled apart, and yellow spots on the thighs observed Food: insects Call: like typing, morse code, or castanets; chorus at night sounds like a lot of office machines all running at the same time Habitat: stays high in tree tops both in pine flatland and cypress; only comes down to breed and lay eggs; from boardwalk-- rarely seen except when mating, and then only near bases of trees Range: entire state Breeding: breeds between March and October, but mostly during rainy season, in flooded depressions and roadside ditches; comes down from treetops to court, breed, and lay eggs

Cuban Treefrog (exotic) Osteopilus septentrionalis Description: 1 1/2 to 5 1/2 inches; the female is larger than the male (bottom photo); can change colors from light putty to dark brown; skin usually has a bumpier appearance than that of the Green or Squirrel Treefrogs, which are also greener; coloration usually mottled but can be clear; has noticeably larger toe pads; can be toxic if eaten by pets or small children Food: smaller native frogs, insects Call: a nasal snoring sound, raaank-raaank-raaank; frequently heard just before, during, and just after rainfall. Habitat: Near water, but adapts to suburban developments and is frequently found around buildings; stays relatively close to the ground; most active at night; from boardwalk-- hides under railing near posts, low on trees under leaves Range: originally just Keys and Dade County (Miami) through the 1960's, but it is now spreading rapidly and can be found in the southern two-thirds of the state Breeding: breeds between May and October, most often in warmer months Similar: because its color can vary from putty and yellow-green in the photos at the left to sharply defined green and white (when it has been mistaken for a Barking Treefrog), look for other clues that distinguish it from the native treefrogs: the bottom portion of the rear legs is almost always ringed, a small flap of skin overhangs the tympanum, and there's a small depression between the eyes and nose

Southern Leopard Frog Rana spenocephala Description: 2 to 5 inches; light stripes running from nose through eye and again below eye which provide camouflage when it's in grasses at the edge of water (bottom photo); basic color may range from light to chocolate brown, sometimes green, but always has dark brown blotches; always has a light spot in the middle of the tympanum; an excellent jumper which can leap out 2 to 3 feet from water's edge Food: insects, small fish and crustaceans when it can catch them Call: not a regular vocalist except during breeding season; sounds like someone rubbing a finger across an inflated balloon, low in pitch; will call at night even in low temperatures; when frightened, will emit a single high-pitched squeak before jumping into water Habitat: always found at ground level; most often by water's edge or fallen logs; when threatened, jumps into water with a single high-pitched squeak and then does an abrupt 90-degree turn under the surface of the water to elude predators; from boardwalk-- usually seen around water edges, especially at lettuce lakes Range: entire state Breeding: breeds during winter months in flooded depressions and roadside ditches

Pig Frog Rana grylio Description: 3 1/4 to 6 3/8 inches; can range in color from yellow to dark brownish-green; usually has dark brown splotches regardless of the background color; largest frog in Southwest Florida (bullfrogs are not found in deep southern Florida); tympanum noticeably larger on males -- larger than eye (lower photo) and smaller on females -- same size or smaller than eye (upper photo) Food: mostly crayfish Call: loud pig-like grunt, very low in pitch (visitors often think it's an alligator bellowing because of the low pitch, but alligators don't grunt and pig frogs don't bellow) Habitat: ground level, only found in or near water; males usually call while floating in water or sitting on submerged vegetation; from boardwalk-- most often seen and heard around water (lettuce lakes) Range: entire state Breeding: breeds between March and September when there's adequate water (mostly during rainy season); egg mass often resembles a floating froth of bubbles mixed with floating vegetation More: additional information about Pig Frogs

Little Grass Frog Pseudacris ocularis Description: maximum to 3/4 inch but many smaller; basic color varies from yellow to brown to reddish to greenish; may be mottled or solid color on back; dark stripe through eye is distinguishing characteristic separating it from young Green Treefrogs and young Squirrel Treefrogs; stripe may be lighter gray; variably-colored stripe along sides although it may sometimes be missing Food: very small insects Call: soft, high tinkling sound, like vey thin glass breaking; in a chorus, may sound like trill of insects; calls all year day or night Habitat: moist areas around quiet , shallow water; clings to grass blades that grow around edges of shallow ponds, that are found in marshy areas, and that grow in seasonally flooded ditches and depressions (bottom two photos at left show grassy area with enlargement of Little Grass Frog on rush) Range: entire state Breeding: breeds year round in South and spring-summer in North Notes: smallest land vertebrate in the United States and smallest frog in North America; technically it's a treefrog because of the skeletal structure of toes, but it lacks typical large toepads and does not climb any higher than low-growing vegetation