California Frog and Toad Calls

Description of call

Ascaphus truei
Coastal Tailed Frog

This frog is not known to make a breeding call, due to its habitat of loud, fast-flowing streams.

Bufo alvarius
Sonoran Desert Toad

A weak, low-pitched whistling screech, 1/2 - 1 second in duration.

Bufo boreas boreas
Boreal Toad

A faint high -pitched plinking sound, like the peeping of a chick or a distant flock of geese.

Bufo boreas halophilus
California Toad

A faint high -pitched plinking sound, like the peeping of a chick or a distant flock of geese.

Bufo californicus
Arroyo Toad

A loud fast musical trill, about 10 seconds, rising in pitch, and ending abruptly.

Bufo canorus
Yosemite Toad

A long, loud rapid musical trill, repeated at frequent intervals.

A

Bufo cognatus
Great Plains Toad

An extremely loud explosive jackhammer-like trill lasting from 5 seconds to almost a minute.

A

Bufo exsul
Black Toad

A weak chirp, similar to B. b. halophilus. Only a release call is known.

A

Bufo microscaphus
Arizona Toad

A loud fast musical trill, about 10 seconds, rising in pitch, and ending abruptly.

A

Bufo punctatus
Red-spotted Toad

A loud prolonged high-pitched musical trill, lasting up to 10 seconds.

A

Bufo woodhousii woodhousii
Rocky Mountain Toad

A loud snore or bleating (like a sheep) lasting 1 - 3 seconds

A

Pseudacris cadaverina
California Treefrog

A loud quick low-pitched duck-like quacking that ends abruptly, given repeatedly

A

Pseudacris regilla
Pacific Treefrog

High-pitched, loud and two parted. Typically described as rib-it, or krek-ek w/the last syllable rising in inflection.

A

Scaphiopus couchii
Couch's Spadefoot

A loud nasal groan descending in pitch similar to a lamb bleating.

Spea hammondii
Western Spadefoot

A loud short trill, like snoring, lasting less than one second. Delayed rain may cause later breeding.

Spea intermontana
Great Basin Spadefoot

A loud, short 1-3 note duck-like snoring. Compared to the sound of a flock of ducks slowed down.

Rana aurora
Northern Red-legged Frog

A weak series of 5 - 7 notes, sounding like uh-uh-uh-uh-uh, lasting 1 - 3 seconds.

Rana berlandieri
Rio Grande Leopard Frog

A loud, short, low-pitched trill or rattle, lasting uder a second, given singly or rapid 2 - 3 trills.

A

Rana boylii
Foothill Yellow-legged Frog

A faint one-note low-pitched, raspy series of 4 - 6 notes per second, with grunts, oinks and rattling.

Rana cascadae
Cascades Frog

A faint series of low grating clucking noises.

Rana catesbeiana
American Bullfrog

A loud low-pitched two-part drone or bellow, popularly described as "jug-o'-rum."

Rana draytonii
California Red-legged Frog

A weak series of 5 - 7 notes - uh-uh-uh-uh-uh, lasting 1 - 3 seconds, ending with a growl.

Rana muscosa
So. Mtn. Yellow-legged Frog

A faint, short, rasping, often accellerated and rising at the end. Sometimes preceeding calls don't rise at the end.

Rana pipiens
Northern Leopard Frog

A loud low gutteral snore-like rattle, which has been compared to a small motor boat engine.

A weak series of rapid low clicks or knocks.

Rana sierrae
Sierra Nevada
Yellow-legged Frog

A faint, short, rasping, often accellerated and rising at the end. Sometimes preceeding calls don't rise at the end.

Rana yavapaiensis
Lowland Leopard Frog

Several loud, short low chuckles, sounding like quick, short, kisses.

A

Xenopus laevis
African Clawed Frog

A 2-part trill, about 1/2 second, repeated up to 100 times per minute. Only faintly heard in air.