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Fowler’s Toad - Bufo fowleri
Description: 2 - 3 1/8" (5.1-8 cm). This toad has warty skin. Color varies from gray to almost red in our area. Can be identified by a large gland above the eye called the paratoid gland. In this species it touches the cranial ridge behind the eye. Unspotted belly. Large dark patches on dorsal surface have three or more warts contained on them. Click on thumbnail to enlarge image.
Similar species in our area: NONE
Lifestyle: This is a common inhabitant of BNL although numbers have reportedly decreased
in many parts of L.I. in recent years, even in
preserved locations. They like
sandy, well drained habitats. Found in both wooded and poorly wooded
areas. Mates from May to August. Gelatinous eggs laid in strings
which are attached to submerged vegetation. Metamorphs emerge July
and August. Voice is a nasal "w-a-a-h" sound for 1 to 4 seconds.
Nocturnal although seen active during the day.
Wood Frog - Rana sylvatica
Description: 1 ½ - 3 1/8" (3.5-8 cm). Color varies from tan to pink. Defining feature of this species is the dark mask behind the eye that ends behind the tympanum. They also possess dorsolateral ridges from the eye to the anus. White belly and upper "lip." Toes are not fully webbed. Males possess swollen thumbs. Click on thumbnail to enlarge image.
Similar species in our area: NONE
Lifestyle: This species is common at BNL. It prefers forests and wooded areas. They need water for breeding, but after will often travel appreciable distances away from water, deep into forests. One of the earliest mating species in our area, breeding adults converge in huge masses and breed explosively between late February and mid April. Communal egg masses are laid in vernal ponds. Tadpoles emerge early April to Late May. Voice sounds like the quacking sounds of a duck. Diurnal.
Spring Peeper - Pseudacris crucifer
Description: 12/16 -1 5/16" (1.9-3.4 cm). Tan/brown coloration. There is often a characteristic "X" shape across the back.
Similar species in our area: May look similar to the Northern
Cricket Frog (Acris crepitans) and Upland Chorus Frog (P.
triseriata) which are now both thought to be extinct throughout our
area. Click on thumbnail to enlarge image.
Lifestyle: A common frog found throughout BNL and most of L.I. Usually occurs in and around wooded areas with permanent or temporary bodies of water, although not fully restricted to forests. This species is somewhat tolerant of urbanized areas. It is one of the first species to start calling in the spring and can even be heard on warmer winter nights. Its voice is a distinctive "peep-peep". It mates from early March to late May. Gelatinous eggs laid in water. Young emerge June through August Voice is a high pitched whistle. This species is mostly nocturnal.
Northern Gray Treefrog - Hyla versicolor
Description: 1 ¼ - 2 3/16" (3.2-5.6 cm). Color gray or green. Rough warty skin. Distinct light spot can be found below eye. Bright orange color can be found on inside of hind legs, especially males (see picture). This species also has very large toe pads used for climbing. Click on thumbnail to enlarge image.
Similar species in our area: NONE
Lifestyle: A common frog at BNL. Usually lives in wooded areas near water. They live up in the tree canopy and thus are not commonly seen. Can be seen by waters edge only during breeding, which occurs between April and August in our area. Gelatinous eggs laid in water. Tadpoles emerge late June to September. Mature tadpoles sometimes have bright red tails. Voice is a slow "trill" sound. This species is nocturnal.
Bullfrog - Rana catesbeiana
Description: 3 ½ - 8" (9-20 cm). The largest frog in North America. Color is light to dark shades of green, often with mottled brownish spots. Belly is creamy white. Large external tympanum. Hind feet completely webbed except for the last joint of the longest toe. Click on thumbnail to enlarge image.
Similar species in our area: The Green Frog (R. clamitans) is
smaller but often looks similar.
Lifestyle: A common frog at BNL and most of L.I. our area, and the largest frog found in North America. Found throughout many different freshwater habitats. Commonly seen in the water, and this species can tolerate urbanized areas fairly well. This species mates between May and late July in our area. Gelatinous egg masses laid on the surface of water. Tadpoles emerge late summer, early fall. They are very large, olive green, and take a minimum of 2 years to transform into frogs. Voice is a low, vibrant bass sound similar to the pluck of a banjo string. Calling in the spring is mostly at night as males try to attract mates, but in the summer males call even in the daytime to announce territorial boundaries.
Green Frog - Rana clamitans melanota
Description: 2 3/16 - 4" (5.5-10 cm). Variable color from green to brown, sometimes has brown blotches or spots. White cream colored belly. Males have yellow throats. This species has large external tympanum and distinct "dorsolateral ridges" that run from the head down through the body. Click on thumbnail to enlarge image.
Similar species in our area: The Bullfrog (R. catesbeiana) is
larger but young individuals may look similar. Also similar to the Southern Leopard
Frog (R. sphenocephala utricularia).
Lifestyle: A very common frog at BNL and most of L.I. area. Found throughout many different freshwater habitats. Commonly seen in the water. This species can tolerate urbanized areas fairly well. Breeds from May to July. Females attach 3-4 small gelatinous egg masses to submerged vegetation. Metamorphs emerge late summer to early fall. Large olive green tadpoles may overwinter twice before transforming. Adults eat many items including small animals such as other frogs, baby birds and small rodents such as mice. Voice is often said to sound like a "loose guitar string", loud and sometimes repeated several times. If disturbed it jumps rapidly into the water while making a single deep "chung" sound. This species is considered to be nocturnal but can often be found fully active during the day.
Pickerel Frog - Rana palustris
Description: 1 ¾ - 3 ¼" (4.4-8.2 cm). Usually brown. This species has two rows of spots down back. The spots are usually square shaped and not circular, however this rule is not always accurate for Long Island populations, especially in the vicinity of BNL. Pickerel frogs have distinctive yellow and orange coloration behind legs. This may extend onto the white belly. White line down dorsolateral ridge. This species is also reported to be very distasteful to predators. Click on thumbnail to enlarge image.
Similar
species in our area: Looks similar to the Southern Leopard Frog (R.
utricularia) in our area, but has square spots, not circular
Lifestyle: This species though not very common in our area, may be somewhat common in certain locales, including BNL. It favors habitats in or very close to water near dense herbaceous vegetation. Breeds April through May. Gelatinous egg mass attached to submerged vegetation. Metamorphs emerge by mid summer, and transform to adults by late summer early fall. Voice is a steady low pitched croak. This species is nocturnal although it can be found during the day.
Eastern Spadefoot Toad - Scaphiopus holbrookii holbrookii
Description: 1 ¾ - 3" (4.4-7.5 cm). Sickle-shaped spade on each hind foot used for digging. Smooth skin with only a few warts. Brown to olive color. Often has two golden-white stripes along it’s back form a lyre shaped pattern. Belly is white or gray. Large golden eyes with distinct vertical pupils. Click on thumbnail to enlarge image.
Similar species in our area: NONE
Lifestyle: Not commonly seen in our area mostly as a result of extremely localized distributions and a very secretive lifestyle. Very common at BNL. It was once found throughout many parts of our area, but now only known from scattered locales on L.I. Lives in well drained and arid, sandy or gravely areas such as the Pine Barrens or coastal sandy areas. They are often found in shallow burrows to avoid the harsh dry climates of their habitat. This species breeds explosively during heavy rains from April through August. Gelatinous eggs are laid in bands attached to submerged vegetation. Eggs sometimes hatch within two days. Transform into toads in 2 - 7 weeks. Voice is a loud, terse grunt that is low pitched and short, like the call of a nasally sounding crow. Nocturnal. ANY SIGHTINGS OF THIS SPECIES ON LONG ISLAND SHOULD BE REPORTED TO Jeremy Feinberg or Tim Green.
For questions or comments please contact: Jeremy Feinberg or Tim Green.