Amphibians
American Toad
Many people know the American Toad as the frog with the bumpy skin. While it is not a frog, it does have bumpy skin, with the bumps behind the eyes containing very bad tasting liquid that helps protect it from predators. The Toad hunts mainly at night, searching for slugs, worms, and insects, which it catches with the tip of its sticky tongue. Listen to the call of the toad as it lets potential mates know he is there. A loon calls in the background.
Leopard Frog
The Leopard Frog is a beautiful green frog that is often found around pond shores in the early part of the year, but moves away to lawns and meadows as it hunts for insects, worms, and especially grasshopper as they grow large over summer. Because of its habit of living in meadow areas during the summer, the Leopard Frog has also been given the name of Meadow Frog.
Spring Peeper
The Spring Peeper is a small tree frog that visits ponds and lakes in the spring when it is looking for a mate. It is at this time that we notice it the most. Its high pitched peeping is familiar to all people who live in the country. Eggs are laid in the water to plants or on the bottom. Then the frogs leave the water and work their way back to the trees and long grass to spend the rest of the summer hunting for insects.
Listen as a lone Peeper calls, while a baby crow calls in the background.
Listen as a lone Peeper calls, while a baby crow calls in the background.
Wood Frog
Like the Spring Peeper, the Wood Frog returns to water to breed in the Spring and then moves away from the water to hunt along the lake shores and into the woods. It feeds on worms, insects, and other small invertebrates. Its call is heard only in the spring when it is searching for a mate.
Listen as Spring Peepers (the high pitched Peep) and Wood Frogs (clucking) call for mates in their watery courting parlours.