Identification- 1.5-2.5 in (3.8-6.3 cm) A medium sized Rana. The Wood Frog is tan to dark brown with two prominent dorso-lateral ridges. There is a dark mask covering the eyes and ending behind the ear drum (tympanum). There is a white line on the upper lip, and on some individuals there are dark bars on the hind legs. The undersurface is creamy white with two dark spots near the front legs. Males have swollen thumbs.
    Voice- a series of hoarse, clacking duck-like quacks. Paired vocal sacs.  .wav file small chorus (174 Kb)  large chorus (188 Kb)

Range- The Wood Frog is common in suitable habitat throughout the range covered.
 

Habitat- Damp woodlands. Wood Frogs are very much a terrestrial animal, they are often found very far from standing water. They are normally found in water only during the breeding season.

Reproduction- Warm rains entice the frogs from their winter hibernation. They are among the earliest frogs to breed, calls can be heard in late February or early March. Males converge on the breeding pools before the females, the females arriving a day or two later. All of the individuals in a population converge and mate within a few days. This is an example of explosive breeding.  Amplexus occurs and the female lays two to three thousand eggs in a globular mass. If a late freeze occurs the eggs do not die, but await warmer temperatures before hatching. A week after being layed the eggs flatten out, float to the top of the water and spread to cover the water's surface (bearing a resemblance to pond scum.)  After this the eggs take a month to hatch. The small tadpoles are olive-green and have high tail crests. The tadpoles metamorphosize after about two months.

General Characteristics-
Wood Frogs are remarkably adapted to cold weather, they are the only frog in North America found north of the Arctic Circle.  Wood frogs are both diurnal and terrestrial. To find a Wood Frog, spend some time in any wooded area, especially during the rain. Wood Frogs are remarkable jumpers, evading capture by leaps of several feet. It will also change direction upon landing, thus creating an erratic effect and confusing its pursuer.  They then stop jumping and rely on their cryptic coloration to hide them in the leaf litter.