There are 16 different types of toad and frog sounds in Ohio. These include seven true frog calls, six tree frog sounds, two true toad trills, and one spadefoot call.
As in all places, frog calls in Ohio peak during the breeding season, when males are singing their hearts out to attract a mate. Some species may begin calling as early as the end of February, and some continue as late as August.
Spring peepers and Wood Frogs start the chorusing, most often in March, and are joined by mountain and chorus frogs, Northern Leopard Frogs, and American Toads by the end of the month. Later in the season, as these early arrivals have departed from breeding ponds, gray tree frogs, Fowler’s toads, cricket frogs, and green frogs will be the most frequently heard.
While some frog calls in Ohio are well known, including the American Toad’s call and the bullfrog’s “jug-o-rum”, others are more obscure. Many are less familiar with the Northern Leopard Frog’s croak, or the Mink Frog’s “tapping” call, for example.
Eastern Gray Treefrog (Pseudacris versicolor), one source of frog sounds in Ohio.
For all the species 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.
There are six species of tree frogs in Ohio. These creatures share several physical characteristics, including small, narrow bodies and enlarged toe pads to help climb trees or bushes. However, there are several types of tree frogs, including chorus frogs and cricket frogs, and their sounds can vary quite a bit, as you’ll see below.
Blanchard’s Cricket Frog
Acris blanchardi
Blanchard’s Cricket Frog makes a set of repeated and rapid clicks, which resemble the sound of two small rocks being tapped together.
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.
Eastern Gray Treefrog
Hyla versicolor
The advertisement call of the gray treefrog is a musical trill that lasts about half a second and is repeated every few seconds. While it is similar to the Cope’s Gray Treefrog call, the pulse rate (speed of the call notes) is significantly slower if both frogs are calling in the same temperature.
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.
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.
Midland Chorus Frog
Pseudacris triseriata
The Midland Chorus Frog mating call is a rapid clicking trill that lasts less than a second and rises slightly in pitch at the end. It sounds a little like running your finger along the teeth of a comb.
True Frog Sounds and Calls
Seven amphibians in Ohio 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 Ohio, true frog soundscome from the Bullfrog, Green Frog, Pickerel Frog, Northern Leopard Frog, Mink Frog, Southern Leopard Frog, and Wood Frog.
These frogs feature a range of physical and vocal differences. Read on to learn about the differences among Ohio’s true frog sounds and calls.
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.
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.
Northern Leopard Frog
Lithobates pipiens
The Northern Leopard Frog’s mating call is a long snore that lasts at least three seconds, and is often followed with grunts or chuckles. The call usually increases in volume until trailing off at the end.
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.
Mink Frog
Lithobates septentrionalis
The advertisement call of the Mink Frog is two to four abrupt notes in a row, like someone tapping on wood.
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.
Toad Sounds
There are two true toads (members of the Bufonidae family) in Ohio: the American Toad and Fowler’s Toad. There is also a spadefoot (Scaphiopodidae family) toad, which has a protrusion on its foot to help it dig, which true toads do not have. Check out these 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.
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.
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. The Ohio Frog and Toad Calling Survey also has excellent and detailed information.
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.
