The call of spring peepers is the sound of spring in New York State (and other parts of the eastern United States and south-eastern Canada). The high pitched-chorus sounding near ponds and wetlands is a sign that winter is coming to an end. Despite the fact that their call carries far on a quiet night, they are seldom seen. This is not surprising due to their tiny size; they are one inch long on average. This tiny tree frog usually hides in leaf litter during the day, but it will perch on vegetation at night while calling.
Spring peepers spend the winter hibernating. They’re able to survive sub-zero temperatures due to an anti-freeze like substance in their bodies. In spring, they lay their eggs singly attached to vegetation close to small bodies of water.
If you’d like to go looking for them, visit small bodies of water after dark where their call is heard. Use your ears to pinpoint the individual frogs and find them with your flashlight. They are hard to find but that is part of the fun. Looking for spring peepers is a fun family activity that your child is sure to remember.
Here’s a video we took of spring peepers calling at a nearby pond.
I love your page. It’s so inspirational. I’m heading to my cottage right now. I’ll head out for a walk and look for fun spring creatures.
Thank you! I hope you had a fun walk!