As the weather gets warmer, the chorus frog bursts into song. This little frog is only about the size of an almond, but it is loud. Chorus frogs—the croak sounds a little like a thumb flicking the teeth of a comb—are audible from half a kilometre away.
Chorus frogs spend winter in a dormant state. But, as the ground begins to thaw and the ice on ponds and rivers start to melt, they’ll emerge. Even if the air temperature is still close to freezing, male chorus frogs will clamber up tufts of grass, or pond cattails, and call out love songs to lure lady frogs. Males have a chin “pouch”; when they call, it inflates like a bubble.
Wild Profile: Meet the red-backed salamander
The chorus frog chorus lasts for about four to six weeks, but couples only pair up for 10 hours. The fertilized eggs then cling to underwater stems and leaves. After a few weeks, tadpoles hatch, grow legs, and head for land immediately.
As with pretty much all amphibians, chorus frogs face a lot of threats these days. You can help by leaving deadwood, leaf litter, or ground cover on your property, and letting native vegetation grow at your shoreline.
If looks could kill, these stealthy frogs would stop bugs in their tracks
Featured Video
