Illinois Chorus Frog

The Illinois chorus frog, a wetland amphibian, grows to a maximum length of 1.5 inches (3.8 cm). Its range is restricted to isolated sandy wetlands along the banks of the Mississippi River and a major tributary, the Illinois River. Its life cycle begins with the mating season beginning in late February and continuing until late April, when the small amphibian signals its aptitude with a version of the distinctive cry that gives its genus its name. The breeding call can be heard at a distance of up to 1 mile (1.6 km). The pools of spring meltwater, where they live and eat, begin to dry up as early as mid-May, and the frogs disappear into hibernation below the winter frost line. With unusually strong forelegs for its size, the Illinois chorus frog is described as the only frog that uses a breast stroke motion to dig its sandy burrows.