Western Chorus Frog - Behavior

Behavior

Due to their nocturnal and secretive nature, these frogs are not commonly seen. The best time to see western chorus frogs is on warm nights when they come out to call. Both males and sometimes females call in large choruses. Males use a special call to attract several potential mates to breeding sites. The western chorus frog call can be heard from half a mile away. The call is a very distinct “cree-ee-ee—eeek”, but can be confused with the upland chorus frog. Calling can occur for 0.5–2.0 seconds and can occur 18–20 times in a minute. The higher the temperature, the more frequent calls occur in a minute, (30–90 calls per minute). One can imitate the “cree-ee-eek” call of the western chorus frog by stroking the edge of a pocket comb, but not that well. The western chorus frog relies heavily on secrecy to keep themselves safe from predators. Any disturbances to the frog's environment causes them to stop calling and dive into the depths of whatever water source they reside near, under leaf litter, logs, rocks, or loose soil, for minutes. These terrestrial hiding spots serve not only as hiding places, but also as hibernation places for the frogs during the winter.