Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Croaking American Bullfrog
By: Tom Berg
American bullfrogs are the largest frog in North America, and they are one of the symbols of spring and summer around our lakes, ponds and marshes. Their distinctive croaking calls blend with the crickets and other night-time sounds. Bullfrogs make a very loud, deep bellowing sound, and they are easy to distinguish from their smaller look-alike cousins, the green frog. The call of the green frog sounds like the twang of a rubber band.
Male bullfrogs have a very large eardrum which is larger in diameter than their eye. The eardrum of females is about the same size as their eye. Males and females are generally olive green in color, with an off-white or yellow belly. Adult bullfrogs can grow to be surprisingly large, and some individuals can reach a length of 8 inches from their nose to their hind end. They can weigh more than a pound, too. However, most full-grown bullfrogs are considerably smaller and measure between 4-6 inches in length (not counting their legs).
Bullfrogs are fearless and voracious predators, and they will eat almost any creature they can catch and fit into their mouths. They eat lots of insects, but their diet also includes unusual items like worms, crayfish, small fish, snakes, baby turtles, small birds, mice, other frogs and even bats! Fishermen sometimes catch large bullfrogs on topwater lures they were using while bass fishing!
Bullfrogs are fun to catch for kids and adults alike, and they are even better to eat. A dinner of fried frog legs is a favorite of many people, but make sure you check your state’s game laws before you get out there and catch a few. Bullfrogs are often considered to be a game species and are regulated by the hunting or fishing laws of many states. Some states allow bullfrogs to be taken year-round, while others have a closed season during the spring during bullfrog mating season. Be sure to follow the rules!
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