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English Sparrow Eaten by Bullfrog

Fred H. Lueders

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One of the most interesting spots in our garden at Compton, California, is a pool inhabited by goldfish, two small turtles, and several frogs and toads, including’ two large bullfrogs of six and eight inches in length. Many hummingbirds, sparrows, warblers, and phoebes come to the pool to drink from the dripping water source or to bathe at its shallow end. The many water lilies and water hyacinths doubtless conceal the frogs from these birds.

One morning a commotion attracted me to the pool, where a few moments before a flock of English Sparrows (Passer domesticus) had been bathing. I was amazed to find that the smaller bullfrog had a female English Sparrow in its mouth. The frog submerged, but appeared again with the wings, tail, and legs of the unfortunate sparrow still protruding. After six minutes, it had succeeded (with great effort) in swallowing the entire sparrow except for the tips of the tail feathers.

Once before I had found in the pool the skeleton of a bird, lacking all flesh, but with the larger wing and tail feathers still attached. It puzzled me at the time, but I believe the above incident explains it as the regurgitated remnant of another bullfrog feast.

Compton, California, January 5, 1941

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