Spring Peeper
Pseudacris crucifer or Hyla crucifer
49.8167, -92.9833
Field Notes
Description:
The only frog in Ontario, Canada with the distinctive "X" shape on it's back, the Spring Peeper is also one of the tiniest frogs with a length usually no more than 1.45 inches (3.7 cm) It is one of the very first sounds of spring, with a high pitched repetitive peep that can be heard over a kilometer (over 1/2 a mile) away.
These frogs are most active at night and may be heard again calling in the Autumn, but not for breeding purposes.
Habitat:
Spring Peepers have a large variety of habitats, most often anywhere there is water. Their most usual habitats however are temporary woodland ponds. Later in the summer these little frogs mover higher upland and spend most of their time close to the forest floor where there is heavy leaf coverage. They hibernate under logs and loose bark.
Notes:
I was taking pictures of tent caterpillars when I saw this little frog sitting on a leaf at the base of an Alder tree. Even though the frog is a brown colour, I hadn't noticed it at first. It was very neat to be able to see one, as their springtime song is one of my favourite sounds.
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