The sun is setting earlier and the season is getting ready to change, which can only mean one thing: it’s time for FrogWatch SA’s autumn census!
From 1 to 8 March, we’re calling on citizen scientists to head outdoors and record frog calls.
Your recordings can give our scientists valuable insights into which frogs are active, where they are living, and just as importantly, where they aren’t. It might feel odd, but even if you hit record and hear nothing, that silence can be incredibly useful data.
Discover the terrestrial (a.k.a. land-living and egg laying) frogs that have got our attention, and how you can get involved in FrogWatch.
Why autumn matters for frogs
At this time of year, love is in the air for lots of our froggy friends, especially terrestrial breeding frogs, those which lay their eggs on the land. These species will be particularly active into autumn, so depending on where you live, they might be your best chance of spotting (or at least hearing) frogs.
There are currently four known terrestrial species of frogs in SA, but not all of them call Adelaide home.
They are:
- smooth frog
- southern toadlet
- Everard Ranges toadlet
- bibron’s toadlet.
Smooth frog
Found only in the South East, the smooth frog is active from now until April. Females will lay approximately 150 large eggs in leaf litter, keeping them hidden from predators.
Southern toadlet
Also found in the South East is the southern toadlet. This species lives in underground tunnels during their breeding period, so you’re unlikely to spot them. Instead, listen out for their distinctive call. It’s a harsh, short and slowly repeated grating ‘cree-e-ek.’
Everard Ranges toadlet
The tiny (about 2.5cm long) Everard Ranges toadlet is only found in the North West. They’re hard to spot because of their size and colour, but you may be able to record one if you are ever in this upper part of SA.
Bibron’s toadlet
The crowd favourite! Bibron’s toadlets are found across much of SA. Females lay their eggs under bark or leaves or even in shallow burrows. And the males step us as full-time guardians and watch the eggs around the clock.
Those are four terrestrial species across SA you might hear or see but remember we want to know about any and all frogs, even the ones you don’t hear.
Uploading frog calls
Uploading frog call recordings is easy – just a few taps and you’re done!
Your best bet is to use the FrogSpotter app.
Simply:
- Download the app.
- Create an account.
- Pick a location.
- Record the frog call .
- If you’re really advanced… tell us what frog you think it is! Don’t worry if you don’t know, though, because FrogWatch’s frog nerds will step in to help identify frog species from your recording!
For a more detailed guide on how to use the FrogSpotter app check out this helpful video.
You can also upload calls directly to the FrogWatch SA website.
Missed the census dates? No problem, FrogWatch accepts recordings all year round!