Northern Red-legged Frog

Northern Red-legged Frog

Rana aurora

Silhouette: Michael Scroggie, from original photograph by John Bettaso, USFWS (original photograph in public domain). · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Vancouver

In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%

73 Verified sightings at Vancouver
1,051 In all 4 parks From 2019 to 2026
August Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Northern Red-legged Frog

Northern red-legged frogs (Rana aurora) are an amphibian species in the true frog family. They have greenish- to reddish-brown skin, red hind legs, dark spots across their backs, and dark facial masks. As a member of the genus Rana, this species is considered a true frog, with characteristic smooth skin and a narrow waist. These frogs are distributed along the Pacific coast of the United States and Canada, from Northern California to southwest British Columbia. There is some range overlap with the federally protected California red-legged frog. Northern red-legged frogs generally breed from January to March, laying eggs in water with submerged vegetation.

Northern red-legged frogs have decreasing population sizes and are listed as "Least Concern" by IUCN. They are a conservation strategy species in Oregon. These frogs are negatively affected by roads due to their characteristic breeding migration from upland-terrestrial to aquatic habitat. Excessive road fatalities have led to novel volunteer programs and wildlife undercrossing projects to protect urban frog populations in Portland, Oregon.

Northern red-legged frogs' genus and species name is Rana aurora. They are in... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Recording2:10

2022

© Cristina Sandoval · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0

Recording0:10

Canada · 2021

© Ian Cruickshank · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0

Recording0:23

Canada · 2023

© Steven Esau · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~50%
2 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
~40%
3 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
~30%
4 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Vancouver 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
2 Seattle 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
3 Portland 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 San Francisco Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
2 Akron Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
3 Monterey Bay Aquarium 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
4 SEA Discovery Center 🇺🇸 United States In captivity

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Northern Red-legged Frog in Vancouver?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Red-legged Frog sighting in Vancouver on a given day, based on 73 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 6th most-seen of the 11 amphibians we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Northern Red-legged Frog in Vancouver?

April to October

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Red-legged Frog in Vancouver on a given day, against under 5% in November to March, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Northern Red-legged Frog?

Between 11 am and 2 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Northern Red-legged Frog sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Vancouver the best place to see a Northern Red-legged Frog?

Yes

Of the 3 cities where we can rate Northern Red-legged Frog sightings, Vancouver has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Seattle (United States, about 10%) and Portland (United States, under 5%).

Which relatives of the Northern Red-legged Frog live in Vancouver?

Same family: Ranidae

The closest relatives of the Northern Red-legged Frog that you can see in Vancouver (family Ranidae, Typical Frogs) are American Bullfrog (about 20%) and Green Frog (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Northern Red-legged Frog sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Northern Red-legged Frog is recorded against all the amphibians logged in Vancouver (73 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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