Because frog and toad populations around the world are
declining, monitoring programs that keep track of where frogs and toads are, and
how they are doing, will be a critical part of their conservation. Now you can
help!
The Hudson River Estuary Biodiversity Monitoring Program is providing regional
coordination for recruiting and training citizen scientists in
collecting frog and toad population data. Population data are collected using a
call survey technique, in which observers identify local amphibian
species by their unique vocalizations. All volunteer observers are trained to
identify their local species by these unique vocalizations or "frog
calls."
Volunteering for this program requires about 4 nights from March through June.
Listening stations are located along a roadside route, and
generally take a maximum of 1 1/2 hours to complete.
Click on this website and put the name of each frog from the list below in the box to listen to their calls. If you haven't listened closely to frogs before, you will be amazed by the variety in their voices. Take the Public Quiz for New York and see how you do!
Potential Species
Common Name Scientific Name* Status/Region
|
Eastern spadefoot
|
Scaphiopus holbrookii
|
Special Concern/Uncommon, Throughout |
|
American toad |
Bufo americanus |
Not listed/Throughout |
|
Fowler's toad |
Bufo fowleri |
Not listed/Throughout |
|
Northern cricket frog |
Acris crepitans |
Endangered/Uncommon, Lower Hudson |
|
Gray treefrog |
Hyla versicolor
|
Not listed/Throughout |
|
Spring peeper |
Pseudacris crucifer |
Not listed/Throughout |
|
Western chorus frog |
Pseudacris triseriata |
Out of range |
|
American bullfrog |
Rana catesbeiana |
Not listed/Throughout |
|
Green frog |
Rana clamitans |
Not listed/Throughout |
|
Mink frog |
Rana septentrionalis |
Out of range |
|
Wood frog |
Rana sylvatica |
Not listed/Throughout |
|
Northern leopard frog |
Rana pipiens |
Not listed/Throughout |
|
Southern leopard frog |
Rana sphenocephala
|
Special Concern/Lower Hudson |
|
Pickerel frog |
Rana palustris |
Not listed/Throughout |
Hudson Valley Sampling Period and Species
Sampling Period
In HRV we have 4 Seasonal Sampling Windows (these can shift or be changed completely if weather, seasonality or other factors warrant—Coordinator decides on windows annually)
1. Run One: 3/20 – 4/16
2. Run Two: 4/24 – 5/10
3. Run Three: 5/25 – 6/9
4. Run Four: 6/24 – 7/9