Discovering Michigan’s Amphibians

June 25, 2025

By: Steve Dishman, Interpreter

What is an amphibian? All amphibians are ectothermic, which means they can change their body temperature. They all are ovoviviparous or egg-laying. And amphibians lack the scales of a reptile. In Michigan, amphibians belong to two orders, Anura, or frogs and toads, and Urodela, or salamanders.

10 species of salamanders call Michigan home, including three endangered species, Marbled Salamander, Small-Mouthed Salamander, and Western Lesser Siren. As an amphibian, salamanders have moist skin that usually helps them with respiration or breathing.  Most of Michigan’s salamanders are terrestrial or land-dwelling. They like to find cool, moist areas to live in and the best times to find them are in early spring and late fall.

Salamanders have some truly remarkable adaptations! Some salamanders can regenerate a tail if a tail is lost. A tail is an important part of a salamander because it helps with movement. All salamanders have teeth to help consume food, but their eyeballs also help with swallowing their food. When they swallow, salamanders push in their eyeballs which helps to crush their food! Some example of Michigan’s terrestrial salamanders are the Blue-Spotted Salamander, Red-Backed Salamander, and the largest terrestrial species, Tiger Salamander.

Michigan is also home to three aquatic salamanders, Mudpuppies, Western Lesser Sirens, and Eastern Newts, although the latter can be terrestrial as well. Mudpuppies and Western Lesser Sirens have gills to breathe underwater like fish.  Western Lesser Sirens are considered endangered in Michigan, but there are more stable populations south of our state. Mudpuppies are found in many large lakes, rivers, streams, and reservoirs. They like waters with rocky bottoms because they will bury their eggs beneath rocks or logs. After the female lays the eggs, she will guard them until they hatch.

There are 13 species of frogs native to Michigan, including two species of toads. They range from the tiny Western Chorus Frog, only an inch large maximum, to the 4-to-8-inch Bullfrog. Frogs and toads can make sounds, which are different between species. The breeding seasons differ between frogs and different species make noise during different seasons. In early spring, Spring Peepers, Western Chorus Frogs, Wood Frogs, and Leopard Frogs can be heard calling. And throughout the hot summer, one can hear Green Frogs, Bullfrogs, Mink Frogs, and maybe the endangered Cricket Frog. Michigan’s wetlands are vital habitat for all our semi-aquatic frog species.

Two toads call Michigan home, the American Toad and Fowler’s Toad. The main difference between the two is the duration of their trill-like call, with the American Toad’s being longer in length. You may see toads in a wetland, but they can also be found in grasslands, prairies, or even your own garden or backyard. Toads are the friend of gardeners because they consume many insects each year. And contrary to superstition, if you touch a toad, it cannot give you warts.

Michigan’s amphibians are fascinating creatures, but they need our help, particularly the endangered species. Habitat loss and climate change are leading to decline in our amphibians, so it is vital we protect their habitat and do our parts to reverse the effects of climate change. And drop in to your Metroparks to discover some of the fascinating amphibians that call the Metroparks home!