Frogs and Toads

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Iowa's Frog and Toad Calls

The Iowa frog and toad calls are presented on this page as a training aid for Iowa’s Frog and Toad Call Survey volunteers as well as for all Iowans so they may explore and appreciate Iowa’s outdoors at night! The abundance levels listed are important for survey volunteers. 

Iowa has 16 species of frog and toad and not all are yet represented on this page. An approximate idea of the timing when each species starts to call each year is listed but that timing is variable based on the year’s weather and where you are in Iowa! We’ve also listed any other species calling in each file and in some cases those species may be more prominent in the call file but a description of the target species call is provided to help listeners distinguish between species.

Frog & Toad Survey

Interested in volunteering for Iowa’s frog and toad call survey? You can read about the survey, the requirements for volunteering and see if there is a route available in your area on the frog and toad survey webpage. Volunteers can also design and establish new routes if there is not an existing route nearby. Thanks for the interest!

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Boreal Chorus Frog

Boreal Chorus Frog (Pseudacris maculata)

Chorus Frog calls are described as sounding like running your finger along a fine-toothed comb. They are usually one of the first frogs to start calling in the spring (March/April).

Can be heard: Statewide

Low Abundance (Index 1): 0:00 seconds; Also calling? birds

Medium Abundance (Index 2): 0:08 seconds; Also calling? Spring Peepers (abundance index 2), and birds

High Abundance (index 3): 0:20 seconds; Also calling? American Toads (abundance index 1)

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Plains Leopard Frog

Plains Leopard Frog (Lithobates blairi)

The plains leopard frog call is a rhythmic “chuck, chuck, chuck” that has a slightly rubbery quality. They start calling earlier in the spring, usually in April. Can be heard: Southern Iowa

Low Abundance (Index 1): 0:00 seconds; Also calling? Chorus Frogs (Index 2)

Medium Abundance (Index 2): 0:16 seconds; Also calling? Cricket Frog (index 3), American Bullfrog (index 2), Woodhouse’s Toad (index 1)

High Abundance (Index 3): 0:28 seconds; Also calling? Cope’s Gray Treefrog (index 3), Woodhouse’s Toad (index 2), Cricket Frog (index 3)

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Spring Peeper

Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)

The spring peeper, as its name suggests, has a peeping call reminiscent of a baby chick. They start calling earlier in the spring, usually in April. Can be heard: Eastern Iowa

Low Abundance (Index 1): 0:00 seconds; Also calling? Chorus Frogs (Index 2)

Medium Abundance (Index 2): 0:06 seconds; faint and very close to index 1, Also calling? Chorus frog (index 1), Cope’s Gray Treefrog (index 2)

High Abundance (Index 3): 0:16 seconds; Also calling? Chorus Frogs (index 1)

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American Toad

American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus)

The American Toad’s call is a long high-pitched trill. They usually start to call towards the end of April to early May. Can be heard: Statewide

Low Abundance (Index 1): 0:00 seconds; Also calling? Chorus Frogs (abundance index 1), Spring Peeper (abundance index 1)

Medium Abundance (index 2): 0:12 seconds; soft and distant; Also calling? Chorus Frogs (abundance index 2)

High Abundance (Index 3): 0:22 seconds; Also calling? Chorus Frogs (abundance index 3), Spring Peeper (abundance index 3).

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Woodhouse’s/Fowler’s Toad

Woodhouse’s/Fowler’s Toad (Anaxyrus woodhousii/Anaxyrus fowleri)

These two species of toad look and sound identical, each having a sharp elongated cry sometimes described as sounding like the bleat of a sheep. They usually start calling around May. Can be heard: Southeast Iowa (Fowler’s) and Western Iowa (Woodhouse’s).

Low Abundance (Index 1): 0:00 seconds; Also calling? Cricket Frogs (index 3), Plain’s Leopard Frog (index 3), Cope’s Gray Treefrog (index 2)

Medium Abundance (index 2): 0:08 seconds; soft and distant; Also calling? Cricket Frogs (index 3), Plain’s Leopard Frog (index 3), Cope’s Gray Treefrog (index 2)

High Abundance (Index 3): 0:16 seconds; Also calling? Cricket Frogs (index 3), Plain’s Leopard Frog (index 3), Cope’s Gray Treefrog (index 2)

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Cope’s Gray Treefrog

Cope’s Gray Treefrog (Dryophytes chrysoscelis)

One of two species of gray treefrog in Iowa, the Cope’s call is a short mechanical trill. They usually start calling sometime in May. Can be heard: Statewide

Low Abundance (Index 1): 0:00 seconds; Also calling? Cricket Frogs (index 2)

Medium Abundance (Index 2): 0:17 seconds; Also calling? Chorus Frog (index 2)

High Abundance (Index 3): 0:33 seconds; Also calling? Cricket Frog (Index 3)

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Eastern Gray Treefrog

Eastern Gray Treefrog (Dryophytes versicolor)

One of two species of gray treefrog in Iowa, the Eastern’s call is a short musical trill. They usually start calling sometime in May. Can be heard: Statewide

Low Abundance (Index 1): 0:00 seconds; Also calling? Cricket Frog (index 1), Birds

Medium Abundance (Index 2): 0:07 seconds; Also calling? Cricket Frog (index 2); Green Frog (index 1)

High Abundance (Index 3): 0:20 seconds; Also calling? Cricket Frog (Index 2); Green Frog (index 1).

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Blanchard’s Cricket Frog

Blanchard’s Cricket Frog (Acris blanchardi)

The Cricket Frog call is often described as sounding like two glass marbles being banged together. They usually start calling sometime in May. Can be heard: Statewide though less abundant in the north.

Low Abundance (Index 1): 0:00 seconds; Also calling? Red-winged Blackbird, Sedge Wren (Consult Anna)

Medium Abundance (Index 2): 0:12 seconds; Also calling? Cope’s Gray Treefrog (index 1)

High Abundance (Index 3): 0:25 seconds; Also calling? American Bullfrog (Index 1)

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American Bullfrog

American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)

The bullfrog has deep, bass call that is described as sounding like a foghorn. They are one of the later frogs to start calling, usually around June. Can be heard: STATEWIDE

Low Abundance (Index 1): 0:00 seconds; Also calling? Cricket Frogs (Index 3)

Medium Abundance (Index 2): 0:09 seconds; Also calling? Cricket Frogs (index 3), Cope’s Gray Treefrogs (Index 2)

High Abundance (Index 3): 0:25 seconds; Also calling? Cricket Frogs (Index 3), Cope’s Gray Treefrogs (Index 2)

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Green Frog

Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans)

The green frog’s call is often described as sounding like the plunk of an out of tune banjo string. They are one of the later frogs to start calling, usually around June. Can be heard: EASTERN IOWA

Low Abundance (Index 1): 0:00 seconds; Also calling? Cricket Frogs (Index 1)

Medium Abundance (Index 2): 0:14 seconds; Also calling? Eastern Gray Treefrog (index 2), Cricket Frog (Index 3)

High Abundance (Index 3): 0:28 seconds; Also calling? Cricket Frogs (Index 3), Eastern Gray Treefrogs (Index 3)

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