The largest true frog in North America, named for the male’s call, which sounds like a bull bellowing. It is a generalist predator of ponds, lakes and swamps, and has been introduced to more than 40 countries, often for frog farming, where it is usually invasive.
Quick answers
What is it?Amphibian
Carnivore?Yes
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Day & night
Active by day and by night, most of all when it is warm and damp.
Hibernates?Yes
In cold weather it hibernates, burying itself in mud in a small cave-like hollow for the winter.
Kept as a pet?Sometimes
Albino bullfrogs are sometimes kept as pets, and the tadpoles are sold at fish stores.
Do people eat it?Yes
Commonly eaten across its range, especially in the southern US; people eat the legs.
At a glance
Found inNorth America, Central America, South America, Europe, Asia
HabitatRivers & lakes, Wetland
ColoursGreen, Brown
SizeSmall
Length9–15 cm snout to vent; rarely 20 cm
WeightUp to 500 g; rarely 800 g
Legs4
Covered inSkin
Lives alone
Lives for7–10 years
Can swim
Lays eggs
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Native to eastern North America; introduced to the western US, Mexico, the Caribbean, South America, Europe and Asia.
- What it eats
- Any small animal it can overpower, from insects and crayfish to snakes, rodents, small birds and bats.
Did you know
Eats anything it can fit in its mouth, including birds and other frogs.
It allows for light bending at the water surface, striking behind where underwater prey appears to be.
A female can lay 1,000 to 40,000 eggs, which hatch in 3 to 5 days.
Often confused with
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A photo, a few hints, one guess. Same 438 animals.
