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Meet Your Local Frog: The American Bullfrog

By Vanessa Studer

The American Bullfrog is an amphibian found throughout Wisconsin’s lakes, ponds, and creeks.  You can even find and hear it at Lake Wingra! They are the largest of all North American frogs, reaching lengths of up to 8 inches. Females tend to weigh in slightly larger than their male counterparts.

American Bullfrogs are typically green or gray-brown with brown spots and are characterized by their call that resembles that of a mooing cow. The male Bullfrogs emit a deep bellow that can be heard from a half a mile away.

As nocturnal predators, they sit patiently waiting for their prey. Lunging with their hind legs to catch their food, American Bullfrogs will eat just about anything that they can fit their mouths around. A meal for them may include insects, mice, fish, birds, and snakes.

Fun fact: A female Bullfrog can lay up to 20,000 eggs at one time!

Vanessa is a badger volunteer helping Friends of Lake Wingra this spring. She is studying economics and political science and loves playing soccer and being outdoors.

Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/amphibians/a/american-bullfrog/