When exploring the trails of the Forest Preserves, one of the easiest ways to tell if there is a body of water nearby is to listen for bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus). The deep croaking noise of male bullfrogs can be heard a quarter mile away!

Here are five additional fun facts about American bullfrogs:    

• Bullfrogs get their name from the sound that males make during the breeding season, which can resemble a bull bellowing. The males make at least two different sounds: a mating call and a warning call to other males encroaching on their territory.
• Bullfrogs typically inhabit large permanent bodies of water and gather into groups called choruses.
• Female bullfrogs have a huge appetite, needing plenty of energy as they produce up to 25,000 eggs per batch.
• The bullfrog is the largest frog in Cook County, reaching 8 inches in length.
• Bullfrogs can jump distances 10 times their body length, and a fully grown bullfrog can jump as far as 6 feet.

Want to learn more about bullfrogs and other local wildlife? Visit one of the Forest Preserves’ six nature centers to talk to a naturalist!