Boreal Chorus Frog

IUCN Red List

not listed

NatureServe

N5 - Secure
S5 - Secure

Minnesota

not listed

Boreal chorus frog is one of the smallest frogs in Minnesota, ¾″ to 17 ⁄16″long at maturity. Females are larger than males.

The body is long and slender. The background color of the upperside is a gradation from a lighter to a darker color; usually tan to brown or reddish-brown, or green to gray. The belly is light brown or cream colored and unmarked. There are three narrow, longitudinal, irregular, stripes of a darker color down the back. The stripes may be more or less broken into a row of spots. Another dark stripe runs from the snout, through the eye, and down the side of the body. The upper lip is white. The male has a dark throat sac.

The legs are short relative to the body. The toe pads are tiny.

Size

Total length: ¾″ to 17 ⁄16″

Voice

Frog and Toad Calls

Similar Species

Spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) has dark markings on the back that form a distinctive X shape.

Breeding (March to May): Temporary pools, shallow wetlands, and shallow parts of lakes; always near woodlands.

Summer (May to ??): Grasslands and fields near trees, forest edges, urban areas; all with wetlands nearby.

Behavior

Males continue to call in June and July, after the breeding season.

With their short legs these frogs are not very acrobatic and do not climb well.

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Life Cycle

Adults overwinter, partially frozen, beneath rocks or logs. They emerge in late March or early April, often while snow and ice are still present. Males call to attract females. Breeding begins immediately and is usually complete by June 1. The female lays small round clusters of 20 to 300 eggs, eventually laying up to 2,500 eggs, on submerged plants. The eggs hatch in 3 to 14 days, and tadpoles transform into adults in 50 to 70 days, depending on the temperature of the water. They live 3 to 5 years.

Tadpole Food

Algae

Adult Food

Small insects, spiders, and other invertebrates