Western Chorus Frog Survey

Six volunteers with the MLA conducted 3 short daytime surveys in specific areas (temporary wetlands or shallow points of permanent wetlands – flooded fields, swamps, ponds, drainage ditches or marshes) around the lake as part of a larger project involving 241 locations around Ontario.  Only one volunteer was able to detect Western Chorus Frogs near the lake.

The Western Chorus Frog is a small tree frog reaching 2.5 cm in length and can be identified by 3 broken dark vertical stripes down its back and a distinctive white stripe on its upper lip. It is usually heard more often than seen, with a loud breeding call that sounds like a finger running through the teeth of a metal comb. It is one of the first species to begin calling each year in the spring, preferring to breed in temporary wetlands that lack fish predators and dry up in the summer.  The species ranges across southern Ontario, north to Huntsville, and east to Quebec.

Unfortunately, the Western Chorus Frog is experiencing ongoing population declines throughout its range due to several factors, including habitat loss and fragmentation, water pollution, and invasive species.