Rhode Island Frog Sounds and Toad Calls

Rhode Island frog sounds are a common feature of many spring and summer evenings in the state. Together with calls of their wartier cousins, the toads, these creatures create a rich symphony. Curious to learn what you’re hearing? You’re in the right place.

There are a wide array of amphibian sounds in Rhode Island, including tree frog calls, true frog sounds, and toad vocalizations. You can hear the croaks, peeps, trills, and various other noises for much of the spring and summer, though peak calling periods vary by species.

Some vocalizations are well known: bullfrog sounds and spring peeper calls are familiar to many beginners, for example. Others, like the Northern Leopard Frog’s call and Pickerel Frog’s (softer, shorter) snore may be new for many people.

Northern Leopard frog from the side, one of the more common source of Rhode Island frog sounds. — A close-up image of an Northern Leopard Frog, a common source of evening sound in Rhode Island.

For all these frogs, I have included only the males’ mating (also known as advertisement) calls, as these are by far the most often heard. While other frogs make other noises, including alarm, release, and territorial calls, these are often short, tough to identify to species, and not often recorded.

If you’re interested in learning more, check out my full guide to frog and toad sounds in the United States.

Rhode Island Tree Frog Sounds

There is one species of tree frog that you will hear in Rhode Island: the eastern gray tree frog. This frog is in the Hylidae family and has a small, narrow body and enlarged toe pads to help climb trees or bushes. Learn more below.

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.

Rhode Island True Frogs Sounds and Calls

Four amphibians in Rhode Island 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”.

Closer examination can reveal a range of physical and vocal differences, however. Read on to learn about the differences among Rhode Island’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.

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.

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.

Rhode Island Toad Sounds

There is one true toad (Bufonidae family) in Rhode Island, and one spadefoot toad (in the Scaphiopodidae family). Like many toads, they make trills that vary in their length and musicality. Many find the American Toad’s musical trill relatively pleasant, while the Eastern Spadefoot’s call is…the opposite. Check out Rhode Island’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.

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.

A whole variety of YouTube channels provide great examples of frog 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.