Through the Eyes and Ears of ARMI
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Recordings from the Field
A Summer Night in a Louisiana Swamp
A chorus of Green Treefrogs, American Bullfrogs, and Blanchard’s Cricket Frogs in the Atchafalaya Basin, Louisiana. The prominent “quank” calls given in succession are Green Treefrogs, Louisiana’s state amphibian, whereas the low-pitched bellowing calls are American Bullfrogs and the “gick-gick” calls are Blanchard’s Cricket Frogs.
What’s that Bird? Well, It’s a Frog!
The aptly named Bird-voiced Treefrog’s high pitched whirring trill can be heard occasionally along with the distant sheep-like bleating of the Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad in this recording on Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana. There are also a few faint single note ‘thunk’ calls of the Green Frog, which are often likened to the plucking of a loose banjo string.
Sounds of Spring
A typical early spring chorus of Spring Peeper, Cajun Chorus Frog, and Southern Leopard Frog on Lake Ramsey Savannah Wildlife Management Area in Louisiana. The Southern Leopard Frogs (low grunts and chuckles) are easily distinguished from the “peep” advertisement call of the Spring Peeper and the call of the Cajun Chorus Frog, which is an ascending trill often described as sounding like a finger dragged across the teeth of a stiff comb. Also heard is a trilling Spring Peeper, which is a call made usually during large breeding choruses when another male is getting too close.
A Summer Night in a Pine Savannah
The “thunk” calls of Green Frogs, often likened to the plucking of a loose banjo string, can be heard prominently throughout this recording from Lake Ramsey Savannah Wildlife Management Area in Louisiana. These calls can be given in just one note, but often are given in succession of several notes. Also heard are the squeaking chuckles of Southern Leopard Frogs and the high-pitched quick trills of Cope’s Gray Treefrogs.
A Cacophony of Calls
This recording from Lake Ramsey Savannah Wildlife Management Area in Louisiana contains five species of calling anurans: Pine Woods Treefrogs (the rapid “tickety” calls often likened to Morse code), Cope’s Gray Treefrogs (high-pitched fast trills), Southern Cricket Frogs (constant clicking often described as metal balls tapping each other), Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toads (sheep-like bleating), and Squirrel Treefrogs (short raspy calls).
Hard to Find, Easy to Hear
A small chorus of Crawfish Frogs, a species of conservation concern, can be heard calling along with Cajun Chorus Frogs in this clip recorded in northwest Louisiana. Crawfish Frogs have a resonant, snore-like call whereas Cajun Chorus Frogs have a distinctive ascending trill call that is often compared to dragging a finger over the teeth of a stiff comb.
Sounds of a Biological Invasion
In this recording from an urban setting in New Orleans, Louisiana, invasive Cuban Treefrogs (the creaky calls that begin a few seconds into the clip) can be heard along with native Blanchard’s Cricket Frogs (the clicking call in the background) and Squirrel Treefrogs (the short raspy call throughout the recording).
Photos
Pacific Chorus frog found near Corvallis, OR. Photographer: Brome McCreary.
Juvenile Oregon Spotted frog. Photographer: Brome McCreary.
Cope's gray Treefrog. Photographer: Brad Glorioso.
Western red-backed salamander. Photographer: Brome McCreary.
Tipsoo Lake Mt. Rainier. Photographer Brome McCreary.
Biologist Evan Grants processing field data.
Biologist Pat Kleeman on a night survey in Yosemite National Park.
Biologist Lester trekking to a survey site in the high Sierra.
Biologist McDonald is using dipnet to catch frog from a High Sierra lake in Yosemite National Park.
A Mountain Yellow Legged frog in a mountain lake.
Biologist Erin Muths trekking to a study site.
Biologist Erin Muths observing a mountain pool.
ARMI biologist surveying swamp habitat in the South East region.
One of the survey sites in the South East region.
ARMI biologists processing field data and comparing notes.
Columbia Torrent Salamander.
Western Boreal Toads engaged in amplexus.
Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris), Glacier National Park. Stephen Corn, USGS.
Boreal toad (Bufo boreas) mating ball, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming. Stephen Corn, USGS.
Tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum), Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming. Stephen Corn, USGS.
Endangered Mountain Yellow-legged Frog.
Red-sided gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis) eating a Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris), Glacier National Park. Michael Faix, USGS.
Eastern newt central subspecies (Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis), Dane county WI. Ready to be released after Bsal swabbing
Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) and blue-spotted salamander (Abystoma laterale) larva, Columbia county WI
Eastern newt, central subspecies (Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis), Columbia county WI