There are 32 types of toad and frog sounds in Georgia — that’s a lot of calls and species! While it can be difficult to keep them all straight, it is helpful to separate them into categories.
These 32 calls include nine true frog calls, sixteen tree frog vocalizations, four true toad calls, one rain frog noise, one spadefoot call, and one narrow-mouthed frog sound. I have broken out these sections below.
While some frog calls in Georgia are well known to many, like American Toad trills and bullfrog “jug-o-rum”s, others are more obscure. Many people may not know Wood Frog quacks and Fowler’s Toad calls for example.
The Pickerel Frog, one source of frog sounds in Georgia.
For all the examples below, I have included only the males’ mating (or advertisement) calls, as these are by far the most often heard. While frogs make other noises, including alarm, release, and territorial calls, these are often short, tough to identify to species, and not as frequently recorded.
If you’re interested in learning more, check out my full guide tofrog and toad callsin the United States.
Georgia Tree Frog Sounds
There are 16 species of tree frogs in Georgia. These are all members of the Hylidae family and share several physical characteristics, including small, narrow bodies and enlarged toe pads to help climb trees or bushes.
Some of the most interesting frogs in this group include the aptly named Barking Treefrog, Squirrel Treefrog, and Bird-voiced Treefrog. Details on all of these and the rest of Georgia’s tree frog sounds are below.
Note that I have not included the Collinses’ Mountain Chorus Frog here, as it has only recently been differentiated as its own species from the Mountain Chorus Frog, and finding sound for this new species is difficult.
Northern Cricket Frog
Acris crepitans
The advertisement call is a series of clicks than have been described as “two stones being tapped together”. The clicks start slow, then happen two or three at a time, building into a frenzy before slowing again.
Southern Cricket Frog
Acris gryllus
The mating call is a series of clicks, ranging from one to a dozen or more at a time, at a fairly steady pace. The frog usually starts with one click, then adds one or two to each subsequent series, almost like they are counting.
Bird-voiced Treefrog
Hyla avivoca
The advertisement call is a series of ringing, musical whistles that last several seconds. Some liken the call to someone whistling for their dog.
Cope’s Gray Treefrog
Hyla chrysoscelis
The mating call is a trill that sounds harsher than the call of the Gray Treefrog. The pulse rate is faster compared to the Gray Treefrog when both are calling in the same area at the same time.
American Green Treefrog
Hyla cinerea
The mating call is a short, nasal “honk!” made once or twice per second. This recording of Green Treefrog sounds from the National Park Service shows a faster call compared to the video.
Pine Woods Treefrog
Hyla femoralis
This mating call is sporadic and chattering, and leads to the frog’s nickname: the “morse code frog”.
Barking Treefrog
Hyla gratiosa
The call of the Barking Treefrog actually does resemble the sound of a barking dog! Mating calls are short “aarf” type sounds made every second or so.
Squirrel Treefrog
Hyla squirrella
Advertisement call is a buzzing “quack” repeated about twice a second. It gets its name from its rain call, which made outside of breeding areas and is raspier — recalling the noises of a gray squirrel.
Mountain Chorus Frog
Pseudacris brachyphona
The Mountain Chorus Frog makes a raspy trill that rises at the end and repeats about twice each second. It sounds very similar to the Brimley’s Chorus Frog, but their ranges do not overlap.
Brimley’s Chorus Frog
Pseudacris brimleyi
The male’s call is a raspy rill that repeats one or two times each second. It sounds similar to the Squirrel Treefrog.
Spring Peeper
Pseudacris crucifer
One of the most well known sounds in the Eastern United States, the spring peeper’s mating call is a loud, ongoing “peep” that repeats once a second or slightly faster.
Upland Chorus Frog
Pseudacris feriarum
The frog makes a clicking trill that rises at the end. This noise can be tough to tell apart from Boreal, New Jersey, and Midland Chorus Frogs, which sound very similar.
Southern Chorus Frog
Pseudacris nigrita
The mating call is a slow, clicking trill that rises at the end and lasts about a second. Some say it sounds like a ratchet-type wrench. It sounds very similar to the Cajun Chorus Frog.
Little Grass Frog
Pseudacris ocularis
The advertisement call is an high-pitched, bug-like chirp that repeats about once per second. As males chorus during mating season, they can sound like crickets chirping. Little Grass Frogs have the highest pitched calls of any frog in the United States.
Ornate Chorus Frog
Pseudacris ornata
The mating call is a shrill, metallic-sounding “peep”. It sounds a little like a spring peeper, but is much faster (two or three notes per second).
Georgia True Frog Sounds and Calls
Nine amphibians in Georgia are considered “true frogs”, meaning they are members of the Ranidae family. These are the typically medium to large-sized “classic” frogs, the ones that most fit the image that pops up in your mind when someone says “frog”.
In Georgia, true frog soundscome from the Carolina Gopher Frog, Bullfrog, Green Frog, Pig Frog, River Frog, Pickerel Frog, Southern Leopard Frog, Wood Frog, and Carpenter Frog.
These frogs feature a range of physical and vocal differences. Read on to learn about the differences among Georgia’s true frog sounds and calls.
Gopher Frog
Lithobates capito
The advertisement call is a low-pitched snore about three seconds in length. In groups these frogs sometimes make a continuous rumbling sound.
Bullfrog
Lithobates catesbeianus
The bullfrog mating call is a loud, low-pitched “ruuum, ruuum, ruuuum.” They also have a high-pitched alarm call when they suddenly jump into the water if startled.
Green Frog
Lithobates clamitans
The Green Frog makes a sudden, loud “gunk!”. Many liken it to someone plucking a loose banjo string. They usually call in a few times in a row, with volume and pitch decreasing each time.
Pig Frog
Lithobates grylio
The mating call is a low-pitched grunt that sounds a bit like a pig. It is repeated a few times, and sometimes as many as seven or eight times in warmer weather.
River Frog
Lithobates heckscheri
The River Frog makes a loud, belching snore that lasts about two seconds, and pauses of several seconds between calls.
Pickerel Frog
Lithobates palustris
Pickerel Frogs make a soft snore that lasts about two seconds, sometimes with a few garbled notes or “gunk!” that sounds similar to the Green Frog. The snore of the Pickerel Frog is much shorter than that of the Northern Leopard Frog.
Southern Leopard Frog
Lithobates sphenocephalus
The Southern Leopard Frog quickly repeats a set of five to ten “chucking” notes, often followed by grunts. These chucks get faster in warmer temperatures.
Wood Frog
Lithobates sylvaticus
The Wood Frog’s call is a series of explosive clucks; some have compared this to the sound of hoarse duck quacks.
Carpenter Frog
Lithobates virgatipes
The mating call is a set of sharp, paired notes, repeated frequently. It sounds like people hammering nails at a construction site.
Toad Calls in Georgia
There are four true toads (members of the Bufonidae family) in Georgia, including the American Toad, Fowler’s Toad, Oak Toad, and Southern Toad.
Most of these creatures make trills that vary in their length and musicality. You’ll likely find some of these sounds pleasing and relaxing, while others may feel harsh and unpleasant. Check out Georgia’s toad calls below.
American Toad Calls
Anaxyrus americanus
The mating call is a musical trill that typically lasts between five and thirty seconds. During the breeding season, males’ make sounds that often alternate or overlap, and have slightly different pitches.
Fowler’s Toad Sounds
Anaxyrus fowleri
Fowler’s Toads make a buzzy trill that lasts between one and five seconds. Some people liken the sound to that of a crying baby or a woman screaming. Fowler’s Toads sometimes hybridize with American Toads, and calls end up sounding like a mix of the two species.
Oak Toad
Anaxyrus quercicus
The Oak Toad makes a loud, high-pitched, repeating “peep!” Some indicate that it sounds like a baby chicken or a squeaky wheel.
Southern Toad
Anaxyrus terrestris
Advertisement call is a high-pitched, somewhat musical trill that lasts between four and eight seconds. Somewhat similar to American Toad, but with a higher pitch and faster pulse rate.
Other Types of Frog Sounds in Georgia
There are three additional families of frog species represented in Georgia. These include the spadefoot (Scaphiopodidae), narrow-mouthed frog (Microhylidae), and rain frog (Eleutherodactylidae) families.
The spadefoots are similar to true toads except that they have protrusions on their feet to help them dig. In Georgia there is one spadefoot: the Eastern Spadefoot.
The only narrow-mouthed frog in Georgia is the Eastern Narrow-mouth Toad, which has a pointed snout and looks a bit like someone stepped on it.
The Greenhouse Frog is the only rain frog in Georgia, and is a very small species (this is true of several, but not all, frogs in this family).
Check out the sounds of these other Georgia Frogs below.
Eastern Spadefoot Calls
Scaphiopus holbrookii
The mating call of the Eastern Spadefoot is an explosive noise that sounds a bit like a person gagging. It’s not the most pleasant sound. The noise is repeated every five to ten seconds.
Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad
Gastrophryne carolinensis
The Eastern Narrowmouth Toads makes a loud, sometimes startling high-pitched “weeeeee!” It can sound similar to the bleat of a baby animal.
Greenhouse Frog
Eleutherodactylus planirostris
The Greenhouse Frog (also known as Cuban Flat-headed Frog) makes a small chirp, and some think it sounds similar to sneakers squeaking on a gym floor.
References and Further Reading
This sound guide draws from a number of sources, including several of the following:
Some of the best quality information online about individual frogs can be found at AmphibiaWeb and Animal Diversity Web. These provide some details on calls, among a host of other valuable content.
A whole variety of YouTube channels provide great examples of sounds and calls, several of which are included here. These creators range from passionate individuals to state agencies. If you liked a video embedded here, check out more from these channels.
Several books provide detailed and well-researched accounts of these frogs, including The Frogs and Toads of North America (2009) by Elliott, Gerhardt, and Davidson and Frogs and Toads of the United States and Canada (2013), by C. Kenneth Dodd.
