Big, small, green, and fuzzy Minnesota has no shortage of frog species, with more than 50 on record in the state.
However, not all of them are native; many are rare or endangered due to habitat loss and human pollution.
So if you’re interested in seeing these amphibians up close but don’t want to bother any threatened or endangered species, here’s a quick rundown of the different types of frogs in Minnesota and where to look for them.
1. Canadian Toad
The Canadian Toad is a species of frog that can be found in the United States and Canada.
These types of frogs in Minnesota are primarily found at low elevations but also higher elevations up to about 5,000 feet.
They prefer wet areas like marshes and slow-moving streams but can also be found near water bodies like ponds and lakes.
Their diet includes snails, insects, and other small invertebrates. The Canadian Toad is known for its dark brown or blackish skin with light streaks on the back and sides. They have smooth skin with no warts or bumps.
These types of frogs in Minnesota tend to grow from 3-4 inches long when fully grown. The Northern Cricket Frog is one type of frog that lives in Minnesota.
2. American Toad
The American Toad is the most common type of frog in Minnesota. These types of frogs in Minnesota are brown or olive and can grow two and four inches long.
They can be found throughout the state but near sources like creeks, ponds, lakes, and wetlands.
They eat various insects and other small invertebrates that they find on land or under the water’s surface.
3. Great Plains Toad
Great Plains Toads are found throughout the Midwest and Great Plains regions but are most common in the Plains states.
These types of frogs in Minnesota have a reddish-brown coloration with gray or brown spots on their backs. They grow up to 6 inches long, not including their legs.
The Great Plains Toad’s diet consists mostly of insects and other invertebrates, such as worms and slugs.
Though they may be a little scary-looking to some people, these frogs are harmless and make great pets!
4. Cope’s Gray Tree Frog
Cope’s Gray Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis) is one of the most common tree frogs. Adult Cope’s Gray Tree frogs can be seen throughout the year but are more common during the warm months.
In these types of frogs in Minnesota, the top portion of their body is a rusty brown color with greenish-gray patches on its back and arms.
The underside is lighter in color, and its legs have some yellow or white spots on them. Cope’s Gray Tree frogs are typically found near streams, ponds, marshes,s, and wetlands.
5. Mink Frog
Mink frogs are small, with stout bodies and rounded heads. These types of frogs in Minnesota have brown skin covered in small dots, and their belly is usually cream or white.
Mink frogs will spend their time burrowing under logs, leaves, or bark on the ground and can often be found near water.
One thing that sets mink frogs apart from other types in Minnesota is that they do not make any noise when they vocalize.
Mink frog tadpoles live underwater, feeding on algae until they turn into adult mink frogs. Adult mink frogs usually spend their days hiding from predators and during the winter when it is cold outside.
6. Northern Cricket Frog
Cricket frogs, also known as spring peepers, are a type of frog found in the forest regions of northern Minnesota.
It is a small species characterized by a green or brownish-green color with darker spots on its back and legs. Cricket frogs have a distinctive call that sounds like peep, peep.
The males will call out for females during the mating season, usually from late March through early June.
Cricket frogs live on the ground near creeks and ponds, where they eat insects and other small invertebrates, such as worms.
These types of frogs in Minnesota lay eggs in water, where they hatch into tadpoles and eventually turn into adults.
7. Pickerel Frog
The Pickerel frog is one of the types of frogs in Minnesota, and it is a type that is fairly easy to identify.
Pickerel frogs are most commonly found near bodies of water and can be spotted hopping around at night on land.
Pickerel frogs have a brown stripe down their back, with black spots on their upper lip.
The males are usually more vibrant, with more muted colors than the females. These types of frogs in Minnesota have a pointed snout, which helps them hunt for prey, such as small fish or invertebrates.
8. American Bullfrog
The American Bullfrog is the largest frog native to North America and can grow up to seven inches long.
These types of frogs in Minnesota are found along lakes and streams, wetlands, forests, and meadows. The American Bullfrog is a carnivore that feeds on insects and other frogs.
The males have a distinctive croak used when looking for mates during the springtime mating season. This frog is called the Bullfrog because it eats like one!
9. Green Frog
The Green Frog is the most common among types of frogs in Minnesota and is often mistaken for the Bullfrog.
The Green Frog is mostly green, with a dark green or brown back and a yellow or white belly.
It has a flat body shape and spends most of its time sitting on the water’s surface, waiting for insects to land on it before catching them with its tongue and swallowing them whole.
The Green Frog can be seen across most habitats in MN but prefers wetlands, lakes, slow-moving streams, ponds, marshes, and wetlands.
10. Gray Tree Frog
Gray tree frogs are the most common type of frog found throughout Minnesota.
These types of frogs in Minnesota can be identified by their gray skin and dark-rimmed eyes. They measure 2.5 to 3 inches in length and have a light-colored belly.
Gray tree frogs can be found year-round, but they’re most active during the warmer months when mating, laying eggs, or eating insects.
Gray tree frogs live near water sources like lakes, ponds, and wetlands because they breed there and need moist environments to survive during colder months.
These types of frogs in Minnesota are nocturnal creatures that will only come out at night when it’s dark outside so they don’t get eaten by predators like snakes or birds.
11. Northern Leopard Frog
The northern leopard frog is a common amphibian found in Minnesota. These types of frogs in Minnesota are usually tan or brown, with dark spots and speckles that run along their skin.
Northern leopard frogs are often confused with bullfrogs, but one way to tell them apart is by looking at their toes – bullfrogs have webbing on all four toes, whereas the northern leopard frog has webbing only on its hind feet.
These types of frogs in Minnesota also have different calls: the northern leopard frog’s call sounds like ribbit, whereas the bullfrog call sounds like jug-o-rum.
12. Spring Peeper
Spring peepers are one type of frog that is active during the day. These types of frogs in Minnesota are small and brown with a dark stripe down their back.
They tend to live around water, so it’s likely sick or injured if you find one on land.
Spring peepers across North America are most common in the eastern United States and Canada.
They mostly eat insects, worms, and slugs and will create burrows near water sources like ponds or streams.
They call out at night with loud, high-pitched calls that sometimes sound like they’re saying a peep.
13. Western Chorus Frog
Western Chorus frogs are large frogs that live near water and can be found from the Rocky Mountains to California.
These types of frogs in Minnesota are typically green or brown with dark spots on their back, but they can also be black with yellow patches.
The males call for mates by making a high-pitched whistle sound, which is how they get their name.
In these types of frogs in Minnesota, their females lay their eggs near water and use their vocal sacs to keep them moist.
14. Wood Frog
Wood frogs are some of the most common amphibian species found in wood. The frogs stay hidden during the day, coming out to hunt and feed at night.
These types of frogs in Minnesota can be found in various habitats, including deciduous forests, wetlands, prairies, and open fields.
As their name implies, these types of frogs in Minnesota prefer wooded areas where they can find shelter from predators by hiding under leaves or logs.
