Learn

Spring makes itself known not only by new sights but also through new sounds. One unmistakable Spring sound is the croaking and calling of frogs, which will soon raise a chorus in the wetlands, stream sides, and woodlands across North America.

One of the first frog species to start calling in the Eastern U.S. and Canada is the Spring Peeper. They’re tiny frogs, between 1 and 1 1/4 inches in length. Because they are so small, Peepers are nearly impossible to see, yet they can ALWAYS be heard whenever they’re singing. The voice of one Peeper sounds like a short, high-pitched whistle. But when a group of Spring Peepers is calling together they sound like jingle bells on a winter sleigh.

While Spring Peepers are one of the earliest frogs to sing, they’re not the only frogs you may hear calling. To hear some of our little friends sing, the best thing to do is have your parents take you to a marsh or swamp at dusk. Be sure to bring mosquito repellant! If you aren’t lucky enough to go to their home, you can hear some of these critters on the Web by clicking here.

Why do you think frogs make such a raucous cacophony in the spring? Specifically, it’s the male frogs you hear, and they croak like crazy in the spring to attract females. Because there are so many different kinds of frogs, each species must have its own distinct song in order to attract the right mates. In fact, frogs’ ears are specially “tuned” to absorb the mid-point of the pitch of the call of their particular species. For example, ears of female Spring Peepers are specifically tuned to absorb the mid-point of the pitch of the male Peeper’s call.

Lots of frogs are not doing so well. Many kinds are becoming very rare. Scientists are not quite sure why but think it might have something to do with their very porous skin which easily absorbs all sorts of things. We should all be careful of what we dump down our drains because we want to make sure these green friends keep singing!

Make sure you look out for this type of frog and other frogs throughout the world. What other animals do you see during spring?