Boreal Chorus Frog - Sierra Club BC
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Boreal Chorus Frog

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Boreal Chorus Frog

Pseudacris maculata

Appearance

Boreal chorus frogs are the smallest frogs in B.C. (less than four centimetres long). They can be any colour (olive, grey, brown, green, or red) and are characterized by a solid dark stripe from their nose to the base of their legs. They also have three dark and sometimes broken stripes on their back.

Range & Habitat

Boreal chorus frogs live in moist grassy or forested areas near wetlands across North America. In B.C., they only live in the far north-east corner of the province.

Diet & Behaviour

Northern chorus frogs like to eat ground-dwelling invertebrates (insects) and often wait for their dinner to come to them.

Reciprocal Relationships

These frogs are omnivores and in their tadpole stage they feed on the surrounding algae. As adults, these frogs mainly feed on smaller insects or invertebrates.

Unlike many other frogs, this species is non-toxic and therefore relies on other gifts to hide from predators. These frogs are known for their small size and camouflage ability, allowing them to hide from predators and prey.

When they emerge from hibernation in early spring, the males earn their ‘chorus frog’ name by singing loudly to attract a female, and together they deposit jellied clusters of 30 to 75 fertilized eggs. The females can produce from 150 to 1,500 eggs each spring! In B.C., loss of habitat to development is the greatest threat to these frogs.

The Boreal chorus frogs and humans have a tight-knit relationship, because they tend to like to live in the same places! Boreal chorus frogs can be found in urban industrial areas, crop cover areas, pastures, wetlands and bog areas. Therefore, these frogs are some of the most adaptable to human co-existence. They do still share the same pollution-related threats as other frog species. Because frogs absorb water through their skin, they also absorb water pollutants, making them a good indicator of ecosystem health.

Status

COSEWIC: Not Reported
CDC: Yellow

More Information

If you belong to a First Nation with a story or piece of information not represented here and you would like to share more about this species, please email us at education@sierraclub.bc.ca.

Photo Credit

Canva

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