On a cold Blackheath evening last October twelve bushcarers met near the Duckpond to learn about local frogs from Alan Lane. Unfortunately only two frogs were calling that night: the Common Eastern Froglet and the Eastern Pobblebonk.
However, Alan was able to show some wonderful photos of the ten or so most common Blue Mountains frogs – both mature and tadpoles — and play recordings of their calls. He described the interesting behaviour of each species, including the differing lengths of their life cycles.
Alan has completed a Masters degree in frog ecology, researching frogs in the upper Blue Mountains area.
Below is a list of the frogs discussed — and their calls — from Alan.
Common frogs of the Blue Mountains
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Call |
|---|---|---|
| Common Eastern Froglet | Crinia signifera | A bit like a cricket: ‘crik, crik, crik’. Can be heard year round. |
| Eastern Pobblebonk or Banjo Frog | Limnidynastes dumerilii | A resonant, musical ‘kplunk’ |
| Striped Marsh Frog | Limnodynastes peronii | A soft short call, like a tennis ball being hit: ‘pok pok’ or ‘wuk wuk’. Can be heard year round. |
| Laughing Frog or Emerald-spotted Tree Frog | Litoria peronii | A harsh, rattling, downward-inflected cackle or laugh: ‘ackackackack’ |
| Whirring Tree Frog | Litoria verreauxii | A very penetrating, upward ‘weep weep weep’ |
| Blue Mountains Tree Frog | Litoria citropa | Sounds like a toy wooden horse galloping. Lots at Ingar Swamp, Kings Tableland. |
| Bleating Tree Frog | Litoria dentate | Bleating call, almost painful in intensity and pitch; a bit like cicadas |
| Broad-footed Tree Frog | Litoria latopalmata | Rapid ‘yapping’ or ‘quacking’. Calls from the edges of water bodies, e.g. dams. |
| Lesueur‘s Frog | Litoria lesueuri | Soft, purring call from near water. Common around rocky, flowing streams, e.g. Govett‘s Creek |