Several fascinating screaming frog videos have recently come to my attention. Apparently, some species of frog will emit a high-pitched scream as a defensive mechanism when harassed or handled (this is also known as a release call). According to David Badger and John Netherton in “Frogs”:
The distress call is a scream, wail, or other loud cry emitted by a frog or toad (usually with its mouth wide open) when seized by a predator such as a snake, bird, or mammal. The apparent purpose of the cry is to startle or disorient the predator and thereby effect the release of the victim. In some species, this cry sounds unnervingly like “a cat in distress,” Duellman and Trueb report; in bullfrogs, the high-pitched scream is reminiscent of a human voice.
The smoky jungle frog (Leptodactylus pentadactylus) demonstrating its release call or “scream”:
Videos illustrating other frog species “screaming”
Via Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)
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Pingback: 4 March 2009 « blueollie
After having a pond full of frogs for over 15 yrs. Today I heard a frog screaming. Thought it was an injured animal. What it was, was a small frog with it’s foot in a smakes mouth. Forgetting let nature take it’s course, I hit the snake on the head and it finally released the frog. Having never heard that sound before, I was eager to know if this was common. Guess so.
I like your blog about the screaming frog…I found your blog on my own blog. The blog I wrote was about screaming baby tadpoles…You should check that out…Anyways…Take care!
me and my husband thought it was a bobcat at 1st but then i typed in animals who sound like that and came across the frogs and it sounds just about the same and i had to put a cover over my pool just to keep them out its such a weriod sound still not sure if its a frog or not but its got my curiousity caught like ur blog just wanted to let a thought thanks for reading bye..