Its toes are not fully webbed. Females grow larger than males. Males, however, have enlarged forearms and swollen thumbs. Rana aurora aurora has very smooth and thin skin and an unspotted dorsal surface. Rana aurora draytonii has thick, rough skin, light centered spots on its dorsal surface, and a larger build.
Adults feed on invertebrates, small mammals and other amphibians like the small tree frog.
Larvae are thought to feed on algae. These conditions ensure embroyonic survival and sufficient water for larval growth and metamorphosis. Red-legged frogs breed via external fertilization. The male grasps the female in a process call amplexus, and while the female lays her eggs, he fertilizes them with a fluid containing sperm. R. a. draytonii eggs are attached at or near the surface of the water while R. a. aurora eggs are attached at a minimum depth of eighteen inches and at least two to three feet from the water's edge.