While female frogs make some sounds that roughly translate
as “Keep your feet to yourself, bub,” the cacophony that kept you up on that
camping trip was created by lovelorn males. They woo the ladies with lyrics go
something like, “Hey, good lookin’, I’m available…and I’m a hunk-a-hunk-a-burnin’
frog!” Which, when you stop to think about it, is remarkably similar to the
lyrics of every boy band hit.
You can hear the full diversity of North America’s
anurans—“frogs and toads” for those who don’t speak zoology—in the book/CD The Frogs and Toads of North America, by
Lang Elliott. With stunning photographs and recordings of over 100 species,
this is a herpetologist’s holy book and the star of many a coffee table. Mr.
Elliott travels the globe recording nature’s symphonies and his YouTube channel,
“TheMusicOfNature,” and website, www.musicofnature.com
will leave you wiser and, most likely, a lot more relaxed. My video here is a fun guide to frog calls, too.
Perhaps, like me, you have some tadpoles of your own. You
want them to metamorphose right and you’ve probably heard about the research
that shows that playing in nature makes them healthier, happier and smarter.
Well, here’s an idea for you: some moonlit night this month,
grab some flashlights and head down to the nearest bubbling brook or slimy
green pond. Have a seat and spend at least 60 seconds in complete silence. How
many sounds can you you hear? Do you recognize any of those sounds? What else
you hear? Perhaps you can even record it with your smart phone to help you
identify the sounds back home.
Try shining your flashlight across the surface of the water.
You may be able to see the tiny reflections of frog eyeballs shining back at
you. Did you hear sounds coming from the
trees? Try directing your beam into the trees and see if you can spot the
singer. At the very least, it’ll make you can do your best Jedi warrior
imitation with your “light saber.”
This is bound to create a lasting memory and you might even
open a wider world of nature exploration for your child. If you’ve got a
budding biologist on your hands, consider taking time for a regular frog
survey. Frogs are declining around the world and regular folks are
participating in a citizen science initiative called a Frog Watch at www.nwf.org/frogwatchusa/.
All that’s involved is choosing a soggy spot near you and
visiting on a regular basis to listen
for frogs. You’ll take note of what you heard, the weather and a few other
details and that’s all there is to it. Yes, you can be a part of scientific
research in all its glory. And repetition.
So get out there and get muddy. Oh, and don’t forget the bug
sprary.
