Green Frog
Lithobates clamitans
Green Frogs are a classic green, often splashed with darker green or brown. Flip one over and you’ll find a pale belly that may show off a few dark freckles. They’re often confused with the larger American Bullfrog, but: Green Frogs have raised ridges (dorsolateral folds) that run down their backs and Bullfrogs only have a ridge that curves around the eardrum.
The Green Frog doesn’t give the long, dramatic “ribbit” people expect. Instead, their call sounds like someone plucking a loose banjo string.
From quiet farm ponds to slow-moving streams and marshy lake edges, Green Frogs are right at home across Iowa. They prefer permanent water, so if a pond sticks around all summer, chances are good they do too.
Green Frogs are opportunistic eaters. Insects, spiders, small fish, even other frogs. They do much of their hunting at night, helping keep mosquito populations in check during Iowa summers.
At 2–4 inches long, they may not look like athletes, but Green Frogs can launch themselves impressive distances in a single leap.
Unlike some frogs that transform quickly, Green Frog tadpoles often overwinter in Iowa. That means they spend their first winter under the ice as tadpoles before completing their transformation the following spring or summer.
They compete with artificial lights and traffic noise, proving that even the most familiar backyard birds are still adapting in fascinating ways.