Frogs in the Chaelundi Wilderness, NSW, Australia

by | Dec 14, 2016

We’ve had some good rainfall over the past month in coastal New South Wales, and the frogs are no doubt loving it! The following two recordings were made just a few hundred metres apart in the Chaelundi wilderness, northern NSW. Each sample features a different combination of species calling, illustrating that subtle differences in water-depth, flow rate and surrounding vegetation-type create important micro-habitats preferred by certain frog species.

Micro-habitat 1 – Stony creek bed with puddles

The first was recorded along a section of a stony river bed, with small remnant puddles of water – a perfect mini-habitat for at least 8 species of frog which I found there. Stony Creek Frogs (Litoria wilcoxii) were abundant, the bright yellow males seemed to be everywhere I shone my torch (this species is relatively quiet and not heard on the following recording). Almost as numerous were the beautiful and very noisy Red-eyed Tree Frogs (Litoria chloris), their un-musical calls dominating the soundscape. Bleating Tree Frog (Litoria dentata), Dainty Green Tree Frog (Litoria gracilenta), Eastern Banjo Frog (Limnodynastes dumerili) and Crinia parinsignifera also added to the chorus, creating a cacophony of sound.

Micro-habitat 2 – 500 metres upstream, deeper water with reeds

Further upstream, the river was flowing and at a few places deep water with reeds could be found. I set up the microphones a few metres from the river’s edge and recorded the very different sounds of this more marshy habitat. The main species heard on this recording are Litoria peronii, Mixophyes iteratus & Litoria fallax, although Limnodynastes peronii, Adelotus brevis, & Mixophyes fasciolatus were also present.