Northern Red-legged Frogs Breeding

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PNWHerper
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Northern Red-legged Frogs Breeding

Post by PNWHerper »

During my lunch break today, I checked out the ponds on the school property. Sure enough, frogs were busy making more frogs! I love watching springtime start to creep in...

I took some rather crappy vouchers of a few, but also took some videos.

Here are 2 videos I took, which were not the clearest quality because of the rather extreme reflection from the cloudy sky. But, they do exhibit some cool behavior. And the sounds themselves are worth hearing even if you can't see much.

The first video is a male calling while stationary on the pond of the pond. I used my hand to shade to give a bit more visibility.



The second video is of two frogs in amplexus grip. One clearly was trying very had to get the one on its back to release. The call sounds quite different from the typical advertisement call. I suspect both of these frogs where males. I watched them separate shortly after the video finished. I could not shade it this time, as they were moving around a lot and I didn't want really shaky footage.



If I have the time, I might return on Friday to the pond with an umbrella and try and get some clearer footage. Hopefully, things are still hopping there if I do...

Fil
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Joshua Wallace
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Re: Northern Red-legged Frogs Breeding

Post by Joshua Wallace »

Awesome videos of some cool behavior. Looks like it might be a decent pond for NW Salamanders if it is permanent.
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Re: Northern Red-legged Frogs Breeding

Post by PNWHerper »

Thanks Joshua! It is permanent, man-made pond. There are 2 more on the school property and I have monitoring them several times a week.

I did see NW salamander egg masses in both of the larger ponds last year, but never observed the adults. Which was rather frustrating. Better luck this year, I hope.

Here is another video from today of a male red-legged calling in the same pond. A bit sharper image quality, and the video is pretty short.



Hope the link works this time.
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PNWHerper
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Re: Northern Red-legged Frogs Breeding

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Here are 2 males I temporarily detained today to get some track data from them. They were both busy announcing themselves to the females. I was as quick as possible, so as not to hamper their breeding success.

Both gave release calls at certain times when they were being handled.

Image

Image

I noticed that many of the males in the ponds around here are quite dark in color right now. Is that temperature and sunlight related? Judging by these two, what would you say?
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Joshua Wallace
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Re: Northern Red-legged Frogs Breeding

Post by Joshua Wallace »

I love the darker Red-leggeds. The second video you posted is great with the glare gone. I think the darkness is just natural variation between individuals.
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Re: Northern Red-legged Frogs Breeding

Post by PNWHerper »

Thanks, Joshua. I am glad you liked the video.

The more I look at these two, the more I think you are right. May just be a matter of individual variation.

Can Rana aurora change their skin tone at all from a dark to a light depending on conditions? I know some frogs can. I can't remember if that is something I have observed in aurora though.
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Joshua Wallace
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Re: Northern Red-legged Frogs Breeding

Post by Joshua Wallace »

I don't think they can outside of very light changes. Honestly though it is never something that i focused on.
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Re: Northern Red-legged Frogs Breeding

Post by salamanderhunter »

Awesome. Temperature does affect the color, although I'm not sure if it applies to all species. I've found wood frogs in winter that were nearly black.
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