How to identify frogs in your backyard

In an ABC North and West radio interview with Tom Mann on 27 June 2024, Northern and Yorke Landscape Board's general manager Tony Fox shared some fun facts (and sounds) with listeners.

Tony hilariously provides impressions of a few frog calls, including a memorable rendition of the Eastern banjo frog, also known as a pobblebonk.

He also shares how to identify frogs by using the free Frogspotter app and how to make your dam more frog friendly.

Listen now:

Tony's bonus fascinating frog facts

• The Eastern banjo frog has been known to bury itself in the soil as a way of surviving dry periods – he's dug one up when planting trees!
• Occasional 'cane toad' sightings by community members have actually been a banjo frog. Cane toads don’t live in SA, are much bigger and much uglier!
• There is a burrowing frog that lives in SA that can remain buried for several years – waiting for the next rain to trigger it back into life and start the breeding cycle. It has to be quick – it's only 4 weeks from laying eggs to a mature frog!
• The brown tree frog is small but a long jump athlete. It can easily jump a couple of metres.

Photo credit: Painted frog (Neobatrachus pictus) captured on Yorke Peninsula by Dylan Sortino.