The American Bullfrog
The King of the Pond
American Bullfrogs are big, green, and very loud! They are famous for their deep "jug-o-rum" call that you can hear from far away on summer nights. They are excellent swimmers and even better jumpers.
RANGE
The American Bullfrog is originally from the eastern part of the United States and Canada. However, because they are so tough, they have been moved by people to many other places, including the western United States, Europe, and Asia. They can live almost anywhere it stays warm and wet.
HABITAT
Bullfrogs must live near water to keep their skin moist. You can find them in large, permanent bodies of water like lakes, ponds, and slow-moving rivers. They love to sit at the edge of the water among the cattails or rest on big lily pads where they can keep an eye out for a snack.
DIET
Bullfrogs are carnivores with a very big appetite. They are famous for trying to eat almost anything that can fit into their mouths!
Common Meals: They eat lots of insects, spiders, and crayfish.
Surprise Snacks: Because they are so big, they sometimes eat other frogs, small fish, snakes, and even baby birds or mice!
SIZE & WEIGHT
This is the biggest frog in North America! An adult bullfrog can grow to be 6 to 8 inches long, not counting their long back legs. They can weigh up to 1.5 pounds. That is about as heavy as a big bunch of bananas or a small loaf of bread.
LIFE CYCLE
Bullfrogs have a very interesting life cycle that starts in the water.
Eggs: A mother bullfrog can lay up to 20,000 eggs at one time in a big, floating sheet.
Tadpoles: Unlike most frogs, bullfrog tadpoles are very large and can take up to two years to turn into frogs.
Adults: Once they grow legs and lose their tails, they become the big green frogs we see on the shore.
PREDATORS
Even though they are big, bullfrogs have many enemies. Large fish, herons, snakes, and raccoons all try to catch them. Their best defense is their powerful jump. If they get scared, they will leap into the deep water with a loud "eak!" and hide in the mud at the bottom.
Amazing Adaptations
The bullfrog has many features that help it be the "king" of the pond.
Powerful Legs: Their long back legs are like giant springs. A bullfrog can jump 3 to 6 feet in one hop!
Big Eardrums: Look for a large circle behind the frog’s eye. This is called a tympanum. It is their ear, and it helps them hear other frogs calling across the water.
Camouflage: Their green and brown skin helps them blend in with the pond weeds so predators cannot see them.
Animal Talk
How Do American Bullfrogs Communicate?
American Bullfrogs are famous for their deep, booming voices. Males are especially noisy during the breeding season, when their calls can carry a long way across a pond or wetland.
The “Jug-o-Rum”: A male's famous breeding call is often described as “jug-o-rum!” He uses this deep call to attract females and announce his presence to other males.
Territorial Calls: Male bullfrogs can be protective of good breeding spots. When another male comes too close, they may use shorter, aggressive calls and even wrestle with the intruder.
The Distress Call: A bullfrog that is grabbed or attacked may produce a sudden, high-pitched scream or distress call. The surprising sound may help startle a predator and give the frog a chance to escape.
Fun Animal Talk Fact: Bullfrogs don't make their booming calls with their mouths wide open. A male keeps his mouth closed while his large throat pouch, called a vocal sac, inflates like a balloon, helping amplify his voice.
Respecting Wildlife
Bullfrogs are interesting neighbors that love to live in permanent bodies of water like farm ponds, lakes, and slow streams.
A Big Appetite: Bullfrogs are famous for eating almost anything that fits in their mouths, including insects, beetles, and even small crayfish. This helps keep the bug population around a pond in balance, making the area more comfortable for people.
Sharing the Pond: If you have a pond at home, you can be a great neighbor by leaving some native plants and logs along the edge of the water. This gives the bullfrogs a place to hide and sit while they wait for their next snack.
The Clean Water Rule: Like all amphibians, bullfrogs have very thin skin that can absorb things from the water. Making sure that soapy water from washing cars or chemicals from the lawn don't run into the pond keeps the frogs and their tadpoles very healthy.
Nighttime Music: Some people find the booming "jug-o-rum" of a bullfrog to be a wonderful part of a summer night, while others might find it a bit loud. If you live near a bullfrog pond, think of their deep voices as nature’s way of singing the world to sleep!
American Bullfrog Photos
