10 Types of Frogs in the Everglades and How to Identify Them
October 27, 2026
Step into the Everglades after dark and the marsh sounds like a wall of noise: barks, trills, chirps, and one deep, unmistakable “jug-o-rum” rising over the sawgrass. That racket comes from an unusually crowded amphibian community. The National Park Service counts 17 amphibian species living within Everglades National Park, and the types of frogs in the Everglades range from a two-pound giant to a species smaller than a dime.
Some of these frogs have lived in South Florida’s wetlands for thousands of years. Others arrived by accident in cargo shipments and now compete directly with native species for food and breeding space. This guide covers 10 frogs and toads any visitor, homeowner, or wildlife-watcher is likely to encounter in the Everglades region, with the physical traits and calls that separate a native green treefrog from an invasive Cuban treefrog. For a broader look at amphibian diversity outside Florida, the different types of frogs found across North America follow similarly varied patterns.
| Common Name | Typical Size | Status | Where to Spot It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullfrog | Up to 8 in, 2 lbs | Native | Canals, deep marshes |
| Pig Frog | 3-5 in | Native | Deep freshwater marshes |
| Greenhouse Frog | Around 1 in | Introduced | Leaf litter, gardens |
| Southern Toad | 1.5-4.5 in | Native | Sandy uplands, yards |
| Oak Toad | 0.75-1.4 in | Native | Pine flatwoods, ditches |
| Florida Cricket Frog | Under 1 in | Native | Grassy pond edges |
| Green Treefrog | 1.25-2.5 in | Native | Leaves near water |
| Little Grass Frog | 0.4-0.7 in | Native | Moist grassy areas |
| Cuban Treefrog | Up to 6+ in | Invasive | Trees, homes, utility boxes |
| Southern Leopard Frog | Around 5 in | Native | Canal banks, marsh edges |
1. Bullfrog
The American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) is the heavyweight of Everglades frogs. According to one longtime South Florida airboat guide, “some frogs such as the bullfrog that we are all familiar with are huge, weighing as much as two pounds.” That size, combined with smooth olive-green to brown skin and a deep, resonant call, makes the bullfrog the easiest of the region’s frogs to identify by sound alone.
Bullfrogs favor permanent water: canals, borrow pits, and the deeper freshwater marshes that never fully dry out during the winter dry season. The same source notes that the pig frog, the bullfrog, and the leopard frog are the three species South Floridians see all the time, a trio that dominates most nighttime wetland sightings. Bullfrogs are also the species most associated with recreational frogging in the region, a tradition the same guide describes simply: “Frogging is an important part of our way of life here in the everglades.”
Pro Tip: Bullfrogs give away their location with a low, repetitive call often described as sounding like “jug-o-rum.” Listen for this call near open water on warm, humid nights, then scan the shoreline with a flashlight for the reflective shine of their eyes.
Bullfrogs are not unique to Florida. The same genus turns up in wetlands from the Gulf Coast to the Southwest, and readers curious about regional variation can compare notes with the types of frogs in Texas, where bullfrogs occupy similar canal and pond habitat.
2. Pig Frog
The pig frog (Lithobates grylio) earns its name from a distinctive grunting call that sounds more like a hog than a frog. It looks similar to the bullfrog but is generally slimmer, with fully webbed hind toes built for a life spent almost entirely in water.
Despite being one of the most abundant frogs in the Everglades, pig frogs are rarely seen up close. Friends of the Everglades explains that “pig frogs are common, but not easily seen because of their cryptic coloration and their tendency to stay away from shore.” They spend most of their time dispersed through the deeper sawgrass marshes rather than clustering at the water’s edge like leopard frogs.
Because pig frogs rarely bask in open view, most people first notice them by their nighttime chorus rather than by sight. Their range overlaps with wetland habitat found in other Gulf Coast states, including the types of frogs in Alabama, where similar marsh systems support comparable populations.
3. Greenhouse Frog
The greenhouse frog (Eleutherodactylus planirostris) is one of the smallest amphibians in the Everglades and also one of the region’s longest-established introduced species. The National Park Service describes it as “a tiny invader from Cuba, chirping from the leaf litter.”
Unlike most Florida frogs, greenhouse frogs skip the tadpole stage entirely. Eggs hatch directly into tiny froglets on land, which lets the species thrive far from standing water in leaf litter, mulch beds, and potted plants. A South Florida wildlife source puts its size in perspective, noting that “the greenhouse frog only grows to a length of a little over one inch.”
Its call is a short, high-pitched chirp or insect-like trill, often mistaken for a cricket rather than a frog. Because it hides so well in mulch and garden debris, most people hear far more greenhouse frogs than they ever see.
4. Southern Toad
The southern toad (Anaxyrus terrestris) is a common, warty amphibian found across sandy uplands and residential yards bordering the Everglades. The National Park Service sums it up as “a warty wanderer belting out a loud trill in the night.”
Southern toads carry noticeable ridges above their eyes and large parotoid glands on the shoulders. Friends of the Everglades notes that these glands “exude a white, milky toxin when the toad is disturbed, making them poisonous to dogs.” This defense has not fully protected the species, however; the same source reports that the much larger, introduced cane toad has preyed on southern toads and eliminated them from parts of urban Miami.
Important Note: Southern toad secretions can cause drooling, vomiting, or worse if a dog or cat mouths one. If a pet makes contact with any toad in the Everglades region, rinse its mouth with water and contact a veterinarian promptly. This information is educational and does not replace professional veterinary care.
For readers interested in how toxic skin secretions vary across the frog world, the roundup of different types of poisonous frogs puts the southern toad’s mild toxin in context alongside far more dangerous species found elsewhere.
5. Oak Toad
The oak toad (Anaxyrus quercicus) is a small, patterned toad usually spotted in pine flatwoods and the sandy, wooded margins around Everglades wetlands. The National Park Service calls it “a pint-sized toad croaking under the park’s oaks.”
Breeding activity peaks during the summer rainy season. According to the Everglades Safari Park guide, oak toads chirp most often “during their breeding season, between April and October,” when temporary wetlands like shallow ponds, ditches, and flooded fields fill with rainwater. The same source notes that oak toads “secrete toxins from the parotoid glands on their backs, and their eggs appear to possess some toxic properties, too.”
Because oak toads breed in temporary rain pools rather than permanent water, their numbers can swing sharply from year to year depending on summer rainfall. A dry summer often means a quiet one for oak toad calls.
6. Florida Cricket Frog
The Florida cricket frog (Acris gryllus) is a tiny, warty frog that moves in short, erratic hops reminiscent of an insect, which is exactly how it earned its name. The National Park Service describes it as “a tiny chirper hopping like a cricket through the grass.”
Cricket frogs favor open, grassy margins around ponds, ditches, and marsh edges rather than deep water or dense forest. Their rough skin and small size let them blend easily into damp grass, and they are often noticed only when disturbed, jumping in an unpredictable zigzag pattern rather than a straight line.
Unlike the region’s tree-dwelling frogs, Florida cricket frogs stay almost entirely at ground level, rarely climbing more than a few inches off the soil. Their clicking call, often compared to two stones being tapped together, carries well across still water on calm evenings.
7. Green Treefrog
The green treefrog (Hyla cinerea) is arguably the most recognizable frog in the Everglades, with smooth lime-green skin and a thin white or cream stripe running down each side. The National Park Service describes it simply as “a lime-green climber sticking to leaves with a loud bark.”
Green treefrogs cluster on vegetation near ponds, canals, and marsh edges, often in groups during breeding season. One common point of confusion is separating this species from Florida’s squirrel treefrog, which can also turn green. A Florida frog identification guide clarifies the difference: “the squirrel tree frog can also be green, but it has a rough back and a call like a duck.”
- Smooth, moist skin (not rough or warty)
- A pale white or gold-edged side stripe
- A loud, single-note “quank” or bell-like call
- Preference for perching on leaves directly above water
Green treefrogs range well beyond Florida into other southeastern wetlands, including habitats covered in the types of frogs in South Carolina, where the species occupies similarly vegetated pond margins.
8. Little Grass Frog
The little grass frog (Pseudacris ocularis) holds a striking title: it is widely considered the smallest frog in North America. The Everglades Safari Park guide describes it as “a subspecies of chorus frogs and the smallest frog in North America,” and notes that it can appear in “tan, reddish, greenish, or pinkish colors with varying patterns.”
Size alone makes this species easy to overlook. The same guide reports that males measure roughly 0.4 to 0.6 inches, while females run slightly larger at 0.5 to 0.7 inches. A dark line running through each eye and back along the body offers the clearest identification clue, since it is often visible even when the frog’s base color shifts.
Little grass frogs live in moist, grassy habitat near ponds and shallow wetland edges, calling in high, insect-like tinkling notes that many visitors mistake for background noise from actual insects rather than a frog chorus.
9. Cuban Treefrog
The Cuban treefrog (Osteopilus septentrionalis) is the largest treefrog in Florida and the only one on this list that does not belong in the Everglades at all. University of Florida researchers confirm that Cuban treefrogs are the largest treefrog found in Florida and can grow to more than six inches in length. The species was accidentally brought to Florida in the 1920s, probably as hitchhikers in cargo containers on ships, and has since spread through most of the peninsula.
Look for large, bulging eyes, oversized toe pads noticeably bigger than those of native treefrogs, and rough or warty skin that can shift between white, gray, green, and brown. University of Florida extension researchers list the key features as large “bug-eyed” eyes, oversized toe pads, rough skin, and wavy back markings in shifting colors, based on a summary from the UF/IFAS Cuban treefrog profile.
Key Insight: A single female Cuban treefrog can produce a remarkable number of offspring in one season. University of Florida Extension notes that this species is “a prolific breeder” that “can have as many as 15,000 eggs per season.” That reproductive output is a major reason the species has outcompeted native treefrogs across so much of the state.
Cuban treefrogs actively prey on the Everglades’ native species. Wildlife biologists report that Cuban treefrogs eat at least five different species of native frogs, and homeowners often find them hiding in toilets, gutters, and electrical equipment. Similar invasive amphibian battles play out elsewhere, including in the types of frogs in Hawaii, where introduced coqui frogs create comparable ecological disruption. The Cuban treefrog’s range now extends beyond Florida into neighboring states, a spread documented in coverage of the types of frogs in Mississippi, where isolated populations have started to appear.
10. Southern Leopard Frog
The southern leopard frog (Lithobates sphenocephalus) is a slender, spotted native known for explosive, unpredictable leaps away from any perceived threat. A longtime Everglades airboat guide calls it plainly: “the leaper of the frog family.”
Leopard frogs are cautious by nature. The same source describes the species as “relatively small, growing to a length of about five inches” and notes that it “is cautious and will take off if it senses any movement close to it,” often covering impressive distances in a single bound. According to the same account, leopard frogs can jump as far as five feet, a trait that makes them notoriously difficult to catch by hand along canal banks.
Look for green to brown skin covered in irregular dark spots, each often outlined with a lighter border, plus a pale ridge running down each side of the back. Southern leopard frogs stick close to water for a fast escape route, favoring canal banks and marsh edges over deep water. Their range extends into other mid-Atlantic and southeastern states as well, including habitat described in the types of frogs in Maryland and the types of frogs in North Carolina, where related leopard frog populations occupy similar wetland margins.
Together, these 10 species show just how much variety exists within a single wetland ecosystem, from a two-pound bullfrog to a grass frog barely half an inch long. Learning to separate native treefrogs from the invasive Cuban treefrog is especially useful, since that one distinction has real consequences for the Everglades’ native amphibian populations. Anyone curious about how this diversity compares to frog populations nationwide can explore how many types of frogs exist across the rest of the country.