American Bullfrog

Lithobates catesbeiana

Report Your Sighting!

  • 9–15 cm, record 20 cm 
  • Dorsolateral ridge not present 
  • Green, olive or brown 
  • Fold of skin extends from eye around the tympanum to shoulder 
  • Ontario’s largest frog 
  • Male has bright yellow throat and tympanum twice the size of the eye (similar to green frog males, but bullfrogs are generally much larger) 
  • Young bullfrogs have small black spots on their green backs 
  • Found near shorelines of lakes, bays, large beaver ponds, and the mouths of slow-moving rivers; usually near deep, permanent waterbodies (necessary for tadpoles that overwinter in the water) 
  • Males are very territorial and will defend breeding territory by jumping at an invading male and trying to flip him over 
Bullfrog

Description of call: Deep bass call sounds like “Jug-O-Rum"