Sounds of Bufo boreas boreas -Boreal Toad

Male Boreal Toads do not have a pronounced vocal sac. Their call has been described as a high-pitched plinking sound, like the peeping of a chick, repeated seveal times. The sound of a group of males calling has been compared to the sound of a distant flock of geese.

Calls are produced at night and during the day during the short breeding season. Males make their call primarily when they are in close contact with other males. These calls are considered encounter or aggressive calls serving to maintain territory, and release calls serving to gain release from another male, rather than advertisement calls to attract females. The calls may also serve other purposes, as a lone male toad has been observed calling. It is also likely that female toads are attracted to the sounds of a group of male encounter calls, in which case they might serve as advertisement calls. Unreceptive females may also produce a release call.

The following calls were recorded on a late sunny morning and afternoon in early April from the shore of a small forest lake in Mason County, Washington (courtesy of Lisa Hallock, Natural Heritage Program, Department of Natural Resources.) The air temperature was approximately 55 - 60 degrees F. The toads were calling while floating on the water close to the shoreline. These toads were not calling continuously, but apparently called only when approached by another toad. Toads were observed swimming up to and climbing onto the back of another toad until calls were produced, water was splashed around, and the toads separated. It was not possible to determine the sex of the toads calling, but it is presumed they were all male. In each case, the calls recorded here were preceeded by and followed by long stretches of silence. Splashing water usually accompanied these calls as the toads moved about. Singing birds, including a Brown Creeper, and distant traffic can be heard in the background.