Hello WildSide Readers,
Summer is the time of year for picnics and cookouts, soaking in the sun, and relaxing by the pool. For us wildlife enthusiasts, it’s also the time of year to survey for frogs and toads. One of the best ways (if not THE best way) to identify frogs and toads, is to listen.
Spring and summer is mating season for Ohio’s amphibians, and their number one priority is to find a special someone and well… you know. For all of Ohio’s frogs and toads, finding that special someone is accomplished by calling in or near their breeding waters. Luckily, each species has their own unique call making identification easy, for the most part. There are a few species that are more difficult to tell apart.
I’ve recently put together two videos that can help you learn Ohio’s frog and toad calls. Hopefully after watching these videos, you can sit back, relax, and revel in the knowledge that you know exactly who is croaking. Below the video links, I’ve listed several additional resources for learning more about Ohio’s amphibians.
Who’s Croaking? Part 1 – In this video we learn the calls of Ohio’s more common frogs and toads.
Who’s Croaking Part 2 – In this video, we learn the calls of less heard species and those that are slight more difficult to identify.
Additional Resources
- Amphibians of Ohio Field Guide – ODNR, Division of Wildlife
- Getting to Know Salamanders of Ohio
- Ohio Frog and Toad Survey – listen to frog and toad calls here!
- Virginia Hepetological Society
- Amphibians of Ohio & Reptiles of Ohio – Books by Ohio Biological Survey
- Habitat Management Guidelines for Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest
- A Guide to Creating Vernal Pools
- A Landowner’s Guide to Creating Woodland Pools for Amphibians and Other Wildlife – Cornell University
- Macroinvertebrate Info and ID Guides
- Vernal Pool Invertebrates – Pennsylvania Nature Heritage Program
- A Guide to Larval Amphibian Identification in the Field and Laboratory – Purdue Extension
- Stroud Wetland Research Center – Identification Guide to Freshwater Macroinvertebrate
- North Carolina State University – Key to Macroinvertebrate Life in the River
- Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program – Vernal Pool Monitoring Guide
Enjoy the summer night sounds!
Marne Titchenell
Wildlife Program Specialist
American toad