I don't know why these frogs call when they're away from breeding sites. A bit
of warmth and high humidity does seem to contribute to it.

Instead, I want to comment about the behavior of humans. We (actually the
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, the Herpetologists' League, and
the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists) have decided it best
to call our local loud mouths, the Pacific Treefrog, Pseudacris regilla. So, we're
going to acknowledge that the species is not a treefrog, it's a chorus frog. But,
we're going to concede that the vernacular doesn't have to be an
accurate reflection of phylogeny and go with the traditional, well-recognized
name, Pacific Treefrog.

Apparently, we're doing the same thing with fish. Though Rainbow Trout and
Cutthroat Trout out here in the west are now recognized as salmon of the
genus Oncorhynchus, no one seems to want to stop calling them trout.

I guess the same thing is done with birds, on occasion.

Kelly McAllister
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Olympia, Washington
Reply to: mcallkrm at dfw.wa.gov

On Fri, 23 Jan 2004, Netta Smith wrote:

> Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2004 16:49:44 -0800
> From: Netta Smith <nettasmith at comcast.net>
> To: Parent Family <dpdvm at whidbey.com>
> Cc: tweeters at u.washington.edu
> Subject: Re: (winter) turtle (sightings) for gull-watchers (and everyone
> else)
>
> Pacific chorus frogs (actually should be Pacific tree frogs if we use Hyla
> for their name) probably are territorial, as many other frogs are, and they
> seem to call to protect roost sites or hidey holes. At least that's what the
> squirrel tree frogs that I grew up with in Florida do. That call is a
> different one indeed from their breeding call, often given during the
> off-season. And when it's in the 50s around here, it's plenty warm enough
> for an amphibian to function.
> Dennis Paulson
>
> > While we're on the subject of cold blooded critters - I have a question
> > that has perplexed me for years; Why do the pacific chorus frogs, hyla
> > regilla, vocalize in the winter? It is a different vocalization than the
> > one used when they return to water to breed beginning in March. It sure
> > seems that they sometimes call in response to bushwhacking or pishing.
> > Could it possibly be territorial? If so, why do they need a winter
> > territory?
> >
> > Dave Parent, dpdvm at whidbey.com, Freeland, WA
>
>