The Bullfrog

Description and Background: The Bullfrog is the largest frog in North America. Its average length is 5 inches but some make grown even larger than this. Though you might guess that this frog is named for its size, it's actually named because f its call which somewhat resembles an actual bull. It is said to sound somewhat like "jug-o-rum."

Bullfrogs are very common in North America and live in and around ponds, lakes, wetlands, marshes, rivers, swamps, and creeks.

Their skin is very moist and smooth and their color ranges from a lighter green to an olive brown. Their back legs are large and muscular and usually marked with brown bands. Feet are webbed and built for swimming.

The Bullfrog is often mistaken for the Green Frog which is somewhat similar in looks, though more colorful and smaller. Another way to tell them apart is that the Bullfrog does not have ridges on his skin like some other frogs.

Male or Female: There are two ways to tell a male Bullfrog from a female. The first and easiest way is to look at the eardrum. The males eardrum is about 2 or 3 times larger than his eye, but the females eardrum will be around the same size as her eye. The other way is by the breeding call. Only a male will produce one.

Tadpoles: Like their parents, the tadpoles are also large and because they have to grow so huge it sometimes takes up to 2 years for them to finish metamorphosis!

Food: Bullfrogs eat many things which include crickets, earthworms, mice, birds, fish tadpoles (even their own), crawdads, small snakes, and even other frogs. Some larger Bullfrogs may not even hesitate to eat a baby rabbit or kitten.

Predators: A Bullfrogs predators are large birds, dogs, humans, raccoons, wolves, coyotes, large fish, and snakes, especially water snakes. Some people consider frog legs (which comes from the Bullfrog) to be a delicacy.