Vermont’s marshes, vernal pools, and hardwood forests support a surprising variety of amphibians for such a small state. When it comes to types of frogs in Vermont, residents can find nine distinct species calling from ponds and woodlands between early spring and late summer, each with its own voice, habitat preference, and life cycle.
From the shrill chorus of spring peepers signaling the end of winter to the deep, cow-like moo of the bullfrog, Vermont’s anurans announce themselves long before they’re seen. This guide walks through each species found in the state, covering identification features, habitat, and the conservation concerns facing a couple of Vermont’s rarer residents.
1. Spring Peeper
The spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) is often the first frog Vermonters hear each year, and for many, its call is the true sign that winter has broken. This tiny frog measures just 1 inch to 1.5 inches long and can be distinguished by its dark colored “X” across its back, which gives the species its scientific name (crucifer means “cross-bearer”).
The spring peeper is very common throughout the state in woods next to vegetated swamps and marshes, and its chorus of a shrill, high-pitched call can be heard from up to half a mile away. Breeding season runs from right after the snow melts through July, and this small chorus frog is often found on the forest floor or low on tree trunks.
Spring peepers spend most of their time on land and only enter water to breed and lay eggs, and like most tree frogs, they are nocturnal and hunt ants, spiders, and other small insects during the evening. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department notes that many Vermonters look forward to the song of the spring peeper each year as it heralds the arrival of warmer weather. Readers curious how this species compares to peepers elsewhere can check the broader breakdown of different types of frogs found across North America.
2. American Toad
The American toad (Anaxyrus americanus) is one of the most familiar backyard amphibians in Vermont, and unlike its rarer cousin the Fowler’s toad, it thrives statewide. The American toad is mainly nocturnal and is most active when the weather is warm and humid.
During the winter, the toad burrows deep into the ground below the frost line to survive Vermont’s cold months. Like other true toads, it relies on chemical defenses rather than speed to avoid predators. Toads lack internal ears and instead have external tympana, and their prominent paratoid glands along with warts on their skin produce poisons to deter attackers, while their dorsal skin is colored to match their surroundings.
Pro Tip: A common question is how to tell the American toad from the Fowler’s toad at a glance. Look at the belly and the spots on the back — Fowler’s toad typically shows a clear, unmarked white belly, while the American toad’s underside is often mottled or spotted.
Because American toads are so widespread, they make a useful comparison point when studying poisonous frog species that rely on skin secretions for defense rather than venom delivered by bite or sting.
3. Green Frog
The green frog, recently renamed the North American green frog (Lithobates clamitans), ranks among the most commonly encountered frogs in the state. The Green Frog is abundant throughout Vermont and can be found in almost every town, typically appearing greenish-brown with dark mottling on its head, chest, and under its legs.
This medium to large sized frog breeds from April to July and is often green or bronze in color. One reliable way to sex a green frog on sight is throat color: the throat ranges to yellow for males and white for females. These frogs can produce as many as six different calls, though the most distinctive sound is a throaty boink that resembles a loose banjo string.
Taxonomists have recently updated the species name to reflect its North American range more precisely. According to the Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas, the Green Frog was officially renamed the North American Green Frog in 2025, following the same reclassification pattern applied to the American Bullfrog. Anyone tracking similar frog populations further south may want to review the types of frogs in North Carolina, where green frogs also thrive in warmer wetlands.
4. Gray Treefrog
The gray treefrog (Hyla versicolor) is the larger of Vermont’s two treefrog species and one of the more visually distinctive amphibians in the state. Its back commonly displays a mottled coloring much like lichen, and the species is ubiquitous throughout Vermont, turning up in a wide variety of wooded habitats from backyards to forests to swamps.
The dorsal skin of a gray treefrog is rough and warty, rougher than the average frog but smoother than the average toad, and the species possesses large, advanced, sticky toe pads for climbing. Dorsal color is usually gray, though some individuals show brown, green, or ivory tones, and black blotches also appear on the skin, since humidity and season can change the color of their backs.
This is the larger of the state’s tree frogs, breeding from April through July, and can be gray or green without any distinct markings on its back in some individuals. The species is nearly identical to the Cope’s gray treefrog found in warmer states, a comparison worth exploring alongside the frogs found in Kentucky, where both species overlap.
5. Pickerel Frog
The pickerel frog (Lithobates palustris) holds a unique distinction among Vermont’s amphibians. Vermont only has a single species of frog that secretes poison, and that is the pickerel frog. This makes it worth handling with care, particularly around pets.
This fairly large frog measures about 1.75 inches to 3.5 inches long. The pickerel frog is found statewide and breeds from April to mid-June, with a dorsal ridge running from the eye to the back and rectangular boxes marking the space between the ridges.
Important Note: The pickerel frog’s skin secretions can irritate the skin of other amphibians and may be toxic to small predators. While generally harmless to humans on contact, it’s best to wash hands after handling any wild frog and avoid letting pets mouth them.
The rectangular dorsal spotting pattern separates pickerel frogs from the visually similar leopard frog, a distinction covered in more depth in guides to frogs found in Maryland, where both species share overlapping range.
6. Northern Leopard Frog
The northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens) holds official state status that no other Vermont amphibian shares. The Vermont state amphibian is the northern leopard frog.
This medium to large semi-aquatic frog varies in color from dark brown to slim green, marked with fairly large spots covering its entire body. The species is concentrated in the northeast part of the state and breeds from April through May.
Its rounded, irregular spots — rather than the pickerel frog’s rectangular boxes — are the quickest way to tell the two species apart in the field. Anyone comparing state amphibian designations elsewhere might find it useful to browse frog species in South Carolina for a similar leopard frog comparison in a different climate zone.
7. Western Chorus Frog
The western chorus frog (Pseudacris triseriata) is one of the more uncertain entries on Vermont’s amphibian list, and its taxonomic and conservation status has shifted in recent decades. The name implies that it makes a lot of noise, and when many combine, it sounds like a chorus, with individuals measuring only 1.9 to 3.2 centimeters in length.
Three dark lines run along its back with one larger line on the flanks, a white line runs from the upper lip up to the shoulder, and coloration ranges from brown, red, olive, to gray. The species lives in terrestrial and temperate habitats including swamps, marshy areas, forests, and open damp areas.
Important Note: Vermont’s population of this species has faced a serious taxonomic and conservation shift. According to the Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas, Pseudacris triseriata was reclassified as Pseudacris maculata, the boreal chorus frog, in 2007. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department reports that Vermont may have lost this species in recent times, since the boreal chorus frog was last heard in the state in 1999. Some sources still list it under its older name and describe it as endangered and a species of great concern under Vermont’s Wildlife Action Plan.
8. Bullfrog
The North American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) is impossible to mistake once fully grown. The bullfrog is the largest frog in the state and is found near permanent bodies of water such as large ponds, streams, and lakes.
Adult body lengths range from 3.6 to 6 inches, with coloration typically olive green, though some individuals show gray or brown mottling or spots, and fully webbed back feet; they can grow to weigh as much as 1.5 pounds. Once males reach sexual maturity, their throats turn bright yellow, and while they look similar to green frogs, bullfrogs lack a dorsal ridge down the back, and the fold instead wraps around the tympanum.
| Species | Typical Size | Where to Find It | Distinctive Call |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Peeper | 1–1.5 in | Woods near swamps, statewide | High-pitched peep chorus |
| American Toad | 2–3.5 in | Gardens, forests, statewide | Long musical trill |
| Green Frog | 2–4 in | Ponds and streams, statewide | Banjo-string “boink” |
| Gray Treefrog | 1.25–2 in | Wooded habitats, statewide | Short, musical trill |
| Pickerel Frog | 1.75–3.5 in | Meadows and marshes, statewide | Low, snore-like growl |
| Northern Leopard Frog | 2–4.5 in | Wetlands, northeast Vermont | Rattling snore with grunts |
| Western/Boreal Chorus Frog | 0.75–1.25 in | Historically statewide; possibly extirpated | Comb-like “crreek” |
| Bullfrog | 3.6–6 in | Large ponds and lakes, Champlain Basin | Deep “jug-o-rum” moo |
| Fowler’s Toad | 2–3 in | Sand banks, Connecticut River Valley | Short, harsh nasal buzz |
Bullfrogs can be found in permanent bodies of water, including swamps, ponds, and lakes, and during the breeding season the male frogs select egg sites in shallow waters that they defend aggressively while females select a male by entering his territory. They are locally common in the Lake Champlain Basin and the Connecticut River Valley, where vegetation lines the shorelines they favor. For a look at how bullfrog populations behave in warmer climates further west, see the frog species found in Texas.
9. Fowler’s Toad
The Fowler’s toad (Anaxyrus fowleri) is Vermont’s most imperiled frog species and a genuine rarity for anyone hoping to spot one. The Fowler’s toad is very rare and has been found only in the southern Connecticut River Valley, where it prefers naturally disturbed shorelines, giving the species a state natural heritage rank of S1, meaning very rare.
Habitat loss along the Connecticut River has hit this species especially hard. The Fowler’s toad depends on scoured sand banks along the Connecticut River, a limited habitat type in Vermont, and has always been extremely rare in the state, though it had been detected with infrequent regularity until 2007, when it was last heard. Fowler’s Toad was listed as Endangered in 2015 under Vermont’s threatened and endangered species list.
Identification hinges on a few subtle features that separate it from the far more common American toad. The Fowler’s toad has a clear, white belly and is a state endangered species. The DoD Natural Resources fact sheet notes that Fowler’s toad has no federal conservation status but is state listed as endangered in Vermont and considered a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in 13 states at the periphery of its range.
Pro Tip: Anyone who believes they’ve spotted a Fowler’s toad in Vermont should report it to the state’s herp atlas project. Given how rare confirmed sightings are along the Connecticut River Valley, citizen observations genuinely help researchers track whether the species still persists in the state.
Because sightings are so scarce, most Vermonters who encounter a large toad in their yard are actually looking at an American toad rather than a Fowler’s toad. Readers interested in how toad species distribution shifts by region can compare notes with the frog and toad species of Iowa, where a similar mix of common and rare anurans exists.
Protecting Vermont’s Frog and Toad Populations
Vermont’s amphibians face pressure from several directions at once. Of the 40 reptile and amphibian species in Vermont, 19 are considered rare, uncommon, or otherwise at-risk, with eight on the state’s list of Threatened and Endangered Species, and several factors threaten these populations, including habitat loss, road mortality, illegal collection and killing, pollution, and disease.
Spring road crossings during breeding migrations remain one of the most direct threats amphibians face in the state. Some Vermonters spend rainy nights in springtime helping salamanders and frogs safely cross busy roads on their way to breeding pools. Simple actions like slowing down on rural roads during wet spring evenings, avoiding pesticide runoff near wetlands, and reporting sightings of rare species like the Fowler’s toad all support ongoing conservation work.
Those wanting to explore frog diversity beyond Vermont’s borders, or compare how these same identification principles apply elsewhere, can browse related guides covering the frogs of Connecticut, the frog species of Illinois, or the broader question of how many frog species exist worldwide. Vermont’s amphibian community may be modest in number compared to warmer states, but each of its nine species plays a distinct role in the wetlands and forests it calls home.