Post on 17-May-2015
description
By: Virginia VassalottiBy: Virginia VassalottiChesapeake Conservation Corps Intern,Chesapeake Conservation Corps Intern,
Montgomery County Department of Environmental Montgomery County Department of Environmental ProtectionProtection
Nationwide program run by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)
Volunteers identify frog and toad species calls at night
For more information visit: www.mygreenmontgomery.org/frogwatch or
www.frogwatch.org
Ribbit, Ribbit
Sue Muller, Howard County FrogWatch Chapter Coordinator
© Jim Harding, MSU
Learn more about wetlands and species that live in them!
Help conserve local amphibians!
Role in food web Bioindicators – sensitive to the environment1. Exposed to air
(adult) and water toxins (larval tadpole)
2. Semi-permeable skin
© www.berkley.edu© www.berkley.edu
© Donna L. Watkins© Donna L. Watkins
Tadpoles feed on algae; fed on by fish and birds
Frogs feed on insects;
fed on by fish, birds
1) Spring Peeper2) Wood Frog3) Upland Chorus
Frog4) Pickerel Frog5) Southern Leopard
Frog6) American Toad7) American Bullfrog
7) Fowler’s Toad8) Northern Green
Frog9) Gray Treefrog10) Cope’s Gray
Treefrog11) Northern Cricket
Frog
Species FebMarch April May June July Aug
Wood Frog x xSpring Peeper x xUpland Chorus Frog x x xPickerel Frog x xSouthern Leopard Frog x x x xAmerican Toad x x x x x
American Bullfrogx
(late) x x x
Fowler's Toadx
(late) x x x
Northern Green Frogx
(late) x x xGray Treefrog x x xCope's Gray Treefrog x x xNorthern Cricket Frog x x x x
Note: calling dates differ year to year. 2013-2014 was a cold winter. Species began calling later!
Able to thaw out from freezing solid!
Only frog found in Arctic Circle
Short, raspy quacks
© Jim Harding, MSU© Jim Harding, MSU
Sound of spring! “Peep, peep, peep”
© Jim Harding, MSU© Jim Harding, MSU
Easy to hear, hard to find!
Smallest frog in the County (¾”-1 ¼”)
X on back – latin Pseudacris crucifer
“Crrreek” Sounds like a
finger running over the teeth of a comb
Prefers slow or non-moving waters
© John White© John White
Steady, snore-like croak. May last up to 2 seconds
More common than the Southern Leopard Frog
Found near streams
Pickerel FrogPickerel Frog Southern Leopard FrogSouthern Leopard Frog
Spots in rows down backYellow
underside
White spot on tympanum or “ear”
Series of short, throaty, chuckle-like croaks
More commonly found on the coastal plain (farther east)
Not common in the County
White spot on the tympanum or ear
Musical trill lasting 5-30 seconds
Simultaneous whistle and hum
© Jim Harding, MSU© Jim Harding, MSU
1-2 warts per dark spot
Can be found anywhere – yards, fields, forests
1-4 second “wraaaah”
3 or more warts per dark spot
More commonly found on coastal plain in sandy areas
“Twang” of a banjo string
Tadpoles over-winter and metamorphose next year
Dorsolateral ridge
Similar in appearance to American Bullfrog – smaller in size
Deep-pitched “jug-o-rum” Largest frog in Montgomery County 2-3 year tadpole stage
Similar in appearance to Green Frog - no dorsolateral ridge
Resonating trill, slower than Cope’s Gray Treefrog
Extra set of chromosomes (48 total)
Raspy resonating trill, faster and less musical than the Gray Treefrog
24 chromosomes
Visually indistinguishable
Differentiate by call or chromosome count
Gray TreefrogGray Treefrog Cope’s Gray TreefrogCope’s Gray Treefrog
© Jim Harding, MSU© Jim Harding, MSU
Sounds like two glass marbles being tapped together
Or shaking of a spray paint can
© Jim Harding, MSU
© Jim Harding, MSU
Small treefrog that does not climb
Highly variable in color
Powerpoint: www.slideshare.net/frogwatch
Montgomery County FrogWatch: www.mygreenmontgomery.org/frogwatch
Frogs and Toads in Montgomery County: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dep/water/frogs
-and-toads.html
Frog and Toad Calls CD: Cornell Lab of Ornithology “Voices of the Night: The Calls of the Frogs and Toads of Eastern North America”
Questions? Email: DEP.FrogWatch@montgomerycountymd.gov