Frog Calls of Sligo Creek
Natural History of Frogs of Sligo Quiz on Frog Calls
Click on Name to see photo – Click on Location for explanation – See the Quick Guide.
| Name |
Dates |
Calls |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Frog Rana sylvatica |
Feb.-Mar (C-U-P) |
 CACK-A-CACK. Duck-like quacking or cackling, several harsh notes given in rapid succession : cack-a-cack or cack-a-hack, or craw-aw-auk. often repetitive: r-r-racket, r-r-racket, r-r-racket. Little carrying power. Also compared to round stones being clacked together |
| Northern Spring Peeper Pseudacris crucifer |
Mar-July (C-U-P) |
PREEP. Single, clear, piercing, high-pitched, bird-like prreep that slurs upward at the end, given about once per second. From a distance, collective sound is like sleigh bells jingling. Closer, seems deafening. |
| Southern Leopard Frog Rana sphenocephala |
Feb-Apr (U-U-P) |
CHU-HU-HU-HUCK. A series of 5 or more (sometimes 3-5) gutteral “chucking” notes or croaks, delivered as a stutter usually too fast to count: chu-hu-hu-hu-huck, chu-hu-hu-hu-huck, chu-hu-hu-hu-huck. Also described as a short chuckle-like guttural trill, or like the sound of rubbing a balloon |
| Striped Chorus Frog Pseudacris triseriata |
Mar-July (U-U-U) |
CRRREEK. A rapid, metallic, regularly repeated series of crrreek sounds that rise in pitch, like rubbing a finger across the stiff teeth of a small comb. Repeated every 1-2 seconds |
| Eastern American Toad Bufo americanus |
Mar-Apr (C-C-C) |
DREAMY TEMOLO. High, sweet, dreamlike tremolo, lasting several to 30 seconds or more, pausing for a few seconds, and then repeated. Can be imitated by whistling and humming a high note at the same time. Calls day and night during peak breeding season |
| Pickerel Frog Rana palustris |
Mar-Apr (C-E-E) |
SNORE Harsh, low-pitched snore lasting one to three seconds. Males can call while submerged. |
| Eastern Spadefoot Toad Scaphiopus holbrookii |
Mar-Aug (U-U-U) |
WANK! Loud, abrupt, explosive, nasal squawk, wank or errrrrrah! Repeated every 2 seconds. Comparable to geese honking or the noise made by rubbing a balloon; Carries for half-mile or more. |
| Northern Cricket Frog Acris crepitans |
May-July (U-U-U) |
CLICKS. A series of metallic clicks given in quick succession; resembles the rapid clicking together of two small stones. |
| Fowler’s Toad Bufo woodhousii |
May-July (P-P-P) |
WAAAAAA! Loud, nasal, buzzy, discordant, low-pitched bleat, waaaaaaa! Like a baby crying. Lasts 1-5 seconds and carries over a distance |
| Green Tree Frog Hyla cinera |
Apr-July (U-U-U) |
QUANK-QUANK-QUANK. A ringing or bell-like queenk-queenk-queenk or quank-quank-quank, repeated about once per second. Hundreds or thousands may sing in competition in good habitat. |
| Green Frog Rana clamitans |
May-July (C-E-E) |
C-TUNG! Low, explosive, twangy c-tung, gunk! or gung! Three or four resonant notes sounding like a plucking a loose string on a banjo. |
| Bullfrog Rana catesbeiana |
May-July (C-E-E) |
JUG-O-RUM! Loud, vibrant , resonant, deep bass jug-o’-rum heard over great distances. Also rendered as a stuttering ru-u-u-umm . . . ru-u-u-umm . . . ru-u-u-umm |
| Gray Treefrog Hyla versicolor |
May-July (E-U-P) |
TRILL. A short, vibrant, flute-like trill, lasting about half a second and repeated every few seconds. Carries over long distances. Can be almost deafening if a pond is full of frogs. |