A Guide to California's
Reptiles and Amphibians
Sounds of
Sheep Frog - Hypopachus variolosus
(Cope, 1866)
Advertisement Calls An advertisement call is the most well-known call of a frog. It is produced by a male frog in order to attract females during the breeding season and to warn other rival males of his presence. Frogs usually make the calls around bodies of water that are suitable for breeding and egg laying. These calls can be heard during the evening and at night, and sometimes during daylight at the peak of the breeding season. The sound of the Sheep Frog is a clear bleating (like a sheep) of about 2 seconds duration, repeated at approximately 15 second intervals. |
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 This is a 14 second recording of the advertisement call of a single Gray Treefrog sitting on a patch of grass in a small forest pool at night in Bastrop County, Texas shown below. Gulf Coast Toads, Blanchard's Cricket Frogs, Houston Toads, Southern Leopard Frogs, and Narrow-mouthed toads can be heard calling in the background. This is a 2 second recording of the advertisement call of a Sheep Frog recorded from the edge of a flooded ditch at night in Willacy County, Texas, shown to the right. |
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| This is a 46 second recording of the advertisement calls of a Sheep Frog at a close distance. Distant sheep frogs Texas Toads and insects are heard in the background. The recording was made at night in early July at the edge of a flooded ditch in Willacy County, Texas shown to the right. |
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| This is a 38 second recording of the advertisement calls of a chorssus of Sheep Frogs. Gulf Coast Toads, Great Plains Narrow-mouthed Toads, and many different insects are heard in the background. The recording was made at night in early July at the edge of a flooded ditch in Jim Wells County, Texas. |
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You can listen to another recording of this frog at the Herps of Texas Web Site. |
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