Calls of Oregon Frogs and Toads

There are thirteen frogs and toads in Oregon, and each makes its own unique sounds. In this guide, we’ll separate calls into four different groups: toads, true frogs, tailed frogs, and tree frogs. I have included a video for each call so you are able to see what each frog looks like in addition to hearing its sounds.

Perhaps the first thing to know is that if you hear a frog call, it’s most likely a male during breeding season. While frogs make other sounds, including alarm and territorial vocalizations, by far the most commonly heard are mating – also known as “advertisement” – calls.

In Oregon these sounds typically happen during the spring and summer months, though the exact timing depends on which region of the state you’re in, as well as altitude.

American bullfrog on a rock — American Bullfrog on a rock, a common species in Oregon and nationwide.

For more information on Oregon frogs and toads, check out the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s website. AmphibiaWeb also is comprehensive resource on all things frogs, and includes a species list for Oregon.

Read on to learn about the sounds of frogs and toads in Oregon.

Toad Calls

There are two true toads (Bufonidae family) and one spadefoot toad (Scaphiopodidae family) in Oregon. Toads are actually a type of frog, but their skin is bumpy and warty and usually dry, while frogs have moist and smooth skin. While many toads make “trills” of various lengths, others make chirps, peeps, and other sounds. Check out the sounds of toads below:

Woodhouse’s Toad

Anaxyrus woodhousii

The mating call is a nasal buzz-like noise that typically lasts between two and four seconds. Similar sound to Fowler’s Toad, but usually lower in pitch. Also sounds a bit like a person screaming or baby crying.

Western Toad

Anaxyrus boreas

California Herps provides a good example of the call of the Western Toad. This species does not have great video examples of its calls, so we’ll rely on the audio-only version here. The all is a bird-like chirp that is frequently repeated.

Great Basin Spadefoot

Spea intermontana

The mating call is a raspy snore or bleat that is repeated again and again. The sound is shorter in warmer weather and is longer in the cold.

True Frog Sounds

There are seven true frogs in Oregon. These frogs are usually found in or near bodies of water. Their bodies are smooth and they have webbed feet, which allow them to thrive in aquatic habitats. This family of frogs, Ranidae, is one of the most widespread in the world, and there is a tremendous amount of variation among species and their calls.

Northern Red-legged Frog

Rana aurora

The mating call is a chuckle between four and seven notes in length, with an emphasis on the last note. Calls are often made underwater, so they are not as frequently heard as some other species.

Foothill Yellow-legged Frog

Rana boylii

This frog makes several calls, including a half-second to second-long squawk and a rapid chuckle. They usually call underwater, so may not be easily heard.

Cascades Frog

Rana cascadae

The Cascades Frog emits a fast chuckle that sometimes ends with a grunt. Calls are usually soft and difficult to hear unless very nearby.

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.

Oregon and Columbia Spotted Frogs

Rana pretiosa and Rana luteiventris

The call (and appearance) of these two species is generally indistinguishable in the field. It consists of a set of clicks or chucks, similar to someone tapping on wood, usually given at a steady rate and lasting at least ten seconds.

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.

Tree Frog Calls and Sounds

There is actually only one tree frog in the state of Oregon: the Pacific Treefrog, also known as the Pacific Chorus Frog. This species, like all tree frogs, has enlarged toe pads and a slender body that allow it to more easily scale bushes and trees. You can read more about its call below:

Pacific Chorus Frog

Pseudacris regilla

The male’s mating call often has two parts – a classic “rib-bit, rib-bit!” – in which the second half rises in pitch. In some parts of its range, the frog only has a single-note call.

Tailed Frog Sounds

There are two types of tailed frogs in Oregon: the Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog and the Pacific Tailed Frog. These species are in the family Ascaphidae, and are set apart by their visible “tails”, which are actually the cloaca of the males. Interestingly, these frogs do not have mating calls.

Conclusion

There exists a wide variety of amphibians in Oregon, spread across the various ecosystems of the state. The calls of these creatures vary as much as their appearance, and they provide a melodious backdrop on many spring and summer evenings.