Reptiles & Amphibians

Bullfrog -- Rana catesbeiana

The adult Bullfrog tends to be solitary, and eats any animal it can capture and swallow: arthropods, other frogs, snakes, even small mammals and birds. Breeding male emits deep bass "jug-a-rum" breeding call. During long summer breeding season (April-August), males sometimes aggressively defend part of pond and mate with entering females. Thousands of eggs are laid in summer. Tadpoles overwinter and transform the following summer.

Northern Leopard Frog -- Rana pipiens

The Northern Leopard frog is a strong jumper and is difficult to capture during day. It emits startling "warning screams" when jumping into water and, when grabbed, may release urine to discourage potential predator and reduce weight for jumping. It eats a variety of invertebrates. Winter is spent under submerged logs or rocks in small streams or marshes where large numbers may congregate. The breeding call is described as long, deep rattling snore interspersed with clucking grunts. The eggs are laid during March-May and tadpoles transform late June to August. Their local abundance varies year to year, and are widespread in northern third of state.

Green Frog -- Rana palustris

Like bullfrogs and leopard frogs, startled Green frogs emit loud, high-pitched yelps as they jump. Breeding calls are (1-3 explosive banjolike twangs) and are heard from May to September. Paired vocal pouches are not evident externally. Tadpoles overwinter to transform the following summer. They are abundant in northern Illinois, the Shawnee Hills, parts of eastern Illinois, and along Middle Mississippi Border Division. Absent from Grand Prairie and most of Southern Till Plain counties.

American Toad -- Bufo americanus

The American toad can inhabits virtually all forest and prairie habitats in Illinois, including urban and agricultural areas, where flooded fields, ditches, and other bodies of water are available for reproduction. Their diet includes insects and earthworms. Poisonous skin secretions deter some predators. Breeding occurs from mid-April to early May when sustained high-pitched trills of males are heard from almost every aquatic habitat. Young males may call through late summer. Females lay several thousand black eggs in long strings held together by semitransparent membranes. Eggs hatch in a week and small jet-black tadpoles, which usually congregate in shallow water, transform within 40 days. Hundreds of tiny metamorphs are sometimes seen crossing nearby roads and trails.

Painted Turtle -- Chrysemys picta

The Painted turtle frequents most aquatic habitats but most common in shallow, quiet, weedy parts of lakes, ponds, marshes, and river backwaters. Basking congregations are common on logs and banks. Omnivorous diet includes plants, insects, and mollusks. Readily scavenges on dead fish. Nests May to July. Lays 2-3 clutches of 8-9 flexible-shelled, ellipsoidal eggs. Hatchlings usually overwinter in nest. They are highly adaptable, less susceptible to habitat modification than many turtles. Some are collected illegally as pets, but no population appears seriously reduced. This turtle is common and widespread.

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