To find out where we still have frogs, and identify frog habitat that should be protected, Friends of Five Creeks, Friends of Baxter Creek, and Friends of San Pablo Creek frequently hold springtime frog-call surveys. Surveying involves going to a likely spot, listening quietly for a few minutes, and then writing down what you hear on a survey form.

We also are looking for good locations for our handsome signs that ask people to respect Pacific chorus frog habitat.

Training for the survey will be:

We have five local species of frogs and toads, although you are only likely to hear one.
All sound files below are in Real Audio Format, and were provided by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Pacific chorus frog or Pacific tree frog (Pseudacris or Hyla regilla) is our only common frog. This small (less than 2 inches) frog changes color, from gray to brown to green to red. It has a distinctive black stripe through its eye. Most of the year, these frogs live away from the water, in brush and thick grass. But in late winter and early spring breeding seasons, males chorus loudly near slow-moving water, even seasonal puddles, making the classic "ribbit" sounds heard in Hollywood movies.

Listen to the Call
For more information: eNature, USGS's Western Ecological Research Center, The Digital Atlas of Idaho, CaliforniaHerps.com

California red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii) is a medium to large-sized frog (up to 5 inches) once common in our area, but now a threatened species. It is reddish-brown to gray, with dark speckles and blotches, and a reddish abdomen and hind legs. This frog also spends most of its life in moist areas away from water. During the rainy season, however, the frogs return to slow-moving or still water with cattails, tules, or bullrushes where eggs can be attached. Males call with a distinctive "unh -unh --unh --" followed by a low groan.

Listen to the Call
For more information: eNature, Endangered Species - Back from the Brink, CaliforniaHerps.com, USGS's Western Ecological Research Center, California Department of Fish and Game

Foothill yellow-legged frog (Rana boylii) was formerly common on the east slopes of the Berkeley hills, but did cross into our area. Slightly smaller than the red-legged frog, it also has a smoother, less blotchy skin. The calls are short raspy sounds like those made by rubbing a balloon.

Listen to the Call
For more information: eNature, USGS's Western Ecological Research Center, CaliforniaHerps.com

Western toads (Bufo boreas) gather to mate at ponds in spring, but we have no reports of them from our urban area. Their distinctive call sounds like baby chicks peeping.

Listen to the Call
For more information: eNature, USGS's Western Ecological Research Center, The Digital Atlas of Idaho, CaliforniaHerps.com

American bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) were introduced from the Eastern United States in the 1800s. These large, greenish frogs (up to 10 inches) became fierce predators of our native frogs. They also have a competitive advantage -- having evolved with the East Coast's wide variety of freshwater fish, they have tadpoles that taste bad to those fish. Unlike our native frogs, bullfrogs need water year-round, and they like warmer water. You are not likely to hear their cow-like calls until May. Still, we would like reports of ANY occurrences of bullfrogs.

Listen to the Call
For more information: eNature, USGS's Western Ecological Research Center, The Digital Atlas of Idaho, CaliforniaHerps.com