What Frogs Live in a Pond? Common Pond Species
Many frogs use ponds, and the species depends on where you live. In North America, common pond frogs include the American bullfrog, the green frog and the pickerel frog. In the UK and much of Europe, the common frog breeds in garden ponds. Each species has its own call, size and habits, and some are invasive outside their home range.
The old version of this post said the common frog and the American bullfrog live in ponds. That is true, but they live on different continents. One is a European species and the other is North American.
This page covers four pond frogs, with size, call and habitat details from wildlife agencies and conservation groups. For more frog types, see our pet frog species guide.
How this was made: prepared with AI assistance and checked against the sources listed at the end. Images are AI-generated illustrations, not photographs of real animals or products.
Key Takeaways
- Which frogs you find depends on your region.
- American bullfrogs use ponds, lakes, bogs and slow rivers, and are the largest frog in North America.
- Green frogs live along shorelines with plants and call like a plucked banjo string.
- Pickerel frogs prefer woodland pools but also breed in permanent ponds, and their skin secretions are toxic to many predators.
- Common frogs breed in shallow water from January in south-west England.
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American bullfrog
New Hampshire Fish and Game calls the American bullfrog the largest frog in North America, at 3.5 to 6 inches. A Washington state document gives 7 to 8 inches. The gap likely reflects different ways of measuring, so treat size as a range.
Bullfrogs live near ponds, lakes, bogs and slow rivers, usually where plants give cover. Males call in May and June with deep bass notes that sound like “jug-o-rum.”
They eat almost anything they can catch, including insects, other frogs, young turtles, snakes and birds.
Green frog
The green frog is a medium-sized frog. Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife lists it at about 2 to 4 inches. The Virginia Herpetological Society gives an adult average of 2.3 to 3.5 inches.
It lives along shorelines of lakes and permanent wetlands, including ponds, according to Virginia. Juveniles favor less-dense vegetation along pond and stream margins.
Its call is often described as a banjo string being plucked. Males call to defend territories. Tadpoles usually overwinter for a year before turning into frogs, though not always.
Pickerel frog
The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission says pickerel frogs prefer ephemeral woodland pools for breeding. They also use permanent ponds, swamps, ditches and backwaters.
Look for squarish spots in two rows and orange or yellow on the hidden parts of the legs. The call is a low snore, often made underwater.
Handle with care. The skin secretions are toxic to many predators, and collectors have killed other amphibians by putting them in a container with a stressed pickerel frog.
Common frog (Europe and the UK)
Froglife says the common frog breeds in shallow water such as puddles, ponds, lakes and canals. Garden ponds are especially important in urban areas.
Adult males reach up to 9 cm and females up to 13 cm. Spawn clumps are laid from January onward in south-west England, and tadpoles hatch 2 to 4 weeks later depending on weather. A raft can hold up to 2,000 eggs.
Froglife also says numbers are thought to be declining because of habitat degradation and disease.
| Frog | Region | Size in sources | Pond use |
|---|---|---|---|
| American bullfrog | North America | 3.5 to 6 in (NH); 7 to 8 in (WA) | Ponds, lakes, bogs, slow rivers |
| Green frog | Eastern North America | 2 to 4 in (Maine) | Shorelines, ponds, wetlands |
| Pickerel frog | Eastern North America | Not stated by NC source | Breeds in woodland pools and permanent ponds |
| Common frog | UK and Europe | Males up to 9 cm, females up to 13 cm | Breeds in ponds, puddles, canals |
Bullfrogs are invasive in some places
Not every pond frog is welcome everywhere. Washington state lists the bullfrog as a non-native species that arrived through the aquarium and pet trades. It is classed as a Prohibited Aquatic Animal Species there.
The state document says introduced bullfrogs compete with and prey on native amphibians, and have been blamed for native declines. It advises people not to buy or share bullfrogs at any life stage and not to release pet frogs into the wild.
How to tell pond frogs apart
Use size, call and markings together. Maine notes that green frogs are commonly confused with bullfrogs and mink frogs. A prominent ridge running from behind the eye toward the groin helps identify the green frog.
Calls are useful in spring and summer. A deep “jug-o-rum” points to a bullfrog, a plucked banjo string to a green frog, and an underwater snore to a pickerel frog.
- Check your region first.
- Note the size against the table above.
- Listen for the call at dusk.
- Photograph from a distance and compare with a state wildlife guide.
Helping pond frogs
Leave frogs and eggs where you find them. Rules for collecting amphibians vary by state or country, so check your wildlife agency before taking any.
Plants at the water edge give cover. The sources above repeatedly mention emergent vegetation near shorelines, so keeping some margin plants helps frogs of several species.
Frequently Asked Questions
What frogs live in a garden pond?
In the UK, Froglife says the common frog breeds in garden ponds. In North America, green frogs and bullfrogs are typical in larger ponds.
Are bullfrogs native everywhere?
No. Washington state treats them as non-native and prohibited. Check your own region.
Can pond frogs be kept as pets?
Many places restrict taking wild frogs. Check local rules and do not release any pet frog into a pond.
What does a green frog sound like?
Maine describes the call as a plucked banjo string.
When do common frogs spawn?
In south-west England, from January onward, according to Froglife.
Are pickerel frogs dangerous?
Their skin secretions are toxic to many predators and other amphibians, so keep them separate from other animals.
Bottom Line
Pond frogs vary by region, so start with your own area. The same bullfrog that is a normal pond resident in one place is a prohibited non-native species in Washington state.
You can learn how frogs begin life in our pages on frog embryo size and amplexus.
Sources
- New Hampshire Fish and Game: Bullfrog, accessed Size, call, habitat, diet
- Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife: Green Frog, accessed Size, call, habitat, identification
- Virginia Herpetological Society: Green Frog, accessed Habitat, size, breeding season, tadpoles
- North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission: Pickerel Frog, accessed Breeding habitat, identification, skin toxicity
- Froglife: Common Frog, accessed Pond use, size, spawn timing, decline
- Washington Invasive Species Council: American Bullfrog, accessed Non-native status and impacts
