New Jersey Chorus Frog

Fascinating facts about the New Jersey Chorus Frog

• Adult New Jersey chorus frogs measure just 19–36 mm from snout to vent, allowing them to slip into shallow vernal pools that larger amphibians can’t use.
• When February rolls in, these frogs begin a two-month breeding period that runs through April. Males perch on water or nearby plants and call until females arrive.
• Each clutch clings to plant stems in groups ranging from 8 to 143 eggs.
• The frog’s name honors Pehr Kalm, the 18th-century Swedish explorer who wrote a 1772 travelogue that discussed New Jersey frogs.

At a glance

About the New Jersey Chorus Frog

The New Jersey chorus frog (Pseudacris kalmi) is a diminutive member of the Hylidae, measuring just 19–36 mm from snout to vent. Its skin shifts through shades of grey, tan, or greenish-brown, marked by a dark lateral stripe that runs from the snout, across the eyes, to the groin, and three bold dorsal stripes that may break in the middle. In early spring, from February to April, males gather at shallow vernal pools, perched on water or emergent vegetation, and emit a distinctive chorus that draws females to the water’s edge. The females lay clutches of 8 to 143 eggs, adhering them to plant stems where they develop in the fleeting pool before the water recedes. After roughly two months, the tadpoles metamorphose into tiny frogs, ready to resume the cycle. Though small, this amphibian navigates a perilous world of predators, water snakes, foxes, birds, raccoons, crayfish, and spiders, yet its rapid development and flexible coloration provide a surprising resilience in the transient habitats it calls home, a trait that keeps it hopping along the edges of New Jersey’s wetlands…

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