Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) - Ohio Herp Atlas

Wood Frog Lithobates sylvaticus

Length 1 1/2 – 2 3/4 in. (4-7 cm). This frog’s wide range extends north to the tundra of Labrador and Alaska, farther north than any other North American amphibian. This frog is brown, tan, or pinkish with a dark mask across its eyes. It is our most terrestrial frog, preferring moist woodlands to the ponds more commonly frequented by other frogs. It even hibernates on land beneath leaf litter where it survives partial freezing of its tissues. During the brief breeding period in late February to early April, often before the ice has completely melted, woodland ponds may be suddenly full of courting Wood Frogs. Their call is a series of five or six explosive clucking notes. A week or so after breeding, the ponds are completely abandoned by these solitary masked mavericks.

Text courtesy of the Ohio Division of Wildlife: https://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/portals/wildlife/pdfs/publications/id%20guides/pub348.pdf

Distribution Map
Distribution of the Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus)
Photographs
Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus)