Common frog

About

The Common frog is the most common amphibian of the Carpathian mountains. It lives in all Carpathian countries and ascends higher than other frogs—from valleys and foothills through the forest belt to polonynas and high-altitude lakes. In summer, it is often seen in wet grass, at forest edges, near streams and springs.

A medium-sized frog, with smooth skin of brown, reddish, or olive color with dark spots. A good sign is a large dark spot on the temple, behind the eye. The belly is light, often with a marbled pattern in females.

The Common frog wakes up as one of the first, just as the snow melts. In the valleys, it breeds in March–April, while in the mountains, it breeds later, until May–June. Females lay eggs in large clumps in shallow puddles, ditches, and ponds, and in spring, these clumps are clearly visible near the shore. Frogs mostly hibernate at the bottom of non-freezing streams and water bodies.

The frog eats insects, spiders, slugs, and earthworms, and is a primary food source for grass snakes, vipers, storks, foxes, and other predators.

The Common frog is not listed in the Red Book of Ukraine; in the EU, it is included in Annex V of the Habitats Directive.

Where in the Carpathians

The map shows where naturalists recorded the species (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY records), not every place it lives. The Ukrainian Carpathians are less studied, so a blank area does not mean the species is absent.

Countries

Ukraine · Slovakia · Romania · Poland · Czechia · Hungary · Serbia

Mountain ranges

Gorgany, Krasna Polonyna, High Tatras, Vihorlat-Gutin Volcanic Ridge, Low Tatras, Pokuttia-Bukovina Carpathians, Bieszczady, Western Tatras, Chornohora, Făgăraș Mountains

Altitude belts

Foothills (below 600 m) · Beech forests (600–1200 m)

When to see it

From naturalists’ observations in the Carpathians (iNaturalist, research grade): the darker the cell, the more often the species is seen that month.

Protection and rules

Not listed in the Red Book of Ukraine.

Red Data Book of Ukraine

FAQ