A fascinating and unusual amphibian native to northern Mexico and parts of the southwestern United States, including Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. Despite its name, this frog doesn’t bark like a dog — but its deep, sharp, bark-like call is unmistakable and often surprises those who hear it echoing through rocky hillsides on warm summer nights. This sound, usually heard after rainfall, is how the barking frog got its name and helps it stand out among North America’s quieter frogs.

Physically, the barking frog is stout and thick-bodied, with a broad head and relatively short limbs. Their skin is warty and tough, and their coloring ranges from gray to brown or olive, often with darker blotches or patterns that help them blend into rocky terrain. Unlike many other frogs, the barking frog is terrestrial, meaning it spends most of its time on land rather than water. It prefers rocky canyons, hillsides, and limestone outcrops, often sheltering in crevices or under rocks where moisture lingers.

One of the most remarkable things about barking frogs is their reproductive strategy. Like others in the Craugastor genus, they are direct developers — they don’t have a tadpole stage. Instead, the female lays a small clutch of eggs in a moist, protected spot on land, and the eggs hatch directly into tiny froglets. This means barking frogs don’t rely on ponds or streams to reproduce, which allows them to live in dry, upland environments that most other frogs would avoid.

Most people recognize its presence only by its loud call during mating season. Another fun detail is that these frogs are great climbers who can squeeze into tight rock cracks to stay cool and moist during dry spells. They are also insectivorous, feeding primarily on beetles, ants, and other small invertebrates they find during nighttime foraging.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Mexico

2021

United States

2021

Arizona, New Mexico, Texas