Male frogs attract females during mating season by croaking. This vocal advertisement identifies a male’s species, location, readiness to breed, and sometimes his size or condition.
Frogs produce calls by forcing air from the lungs through the larynx. Vocal sacs beneath the throat can amplify the sound, allowing some calls to travel up to 1.6 kilometres. At breeding sites, many males may call together in a chorus, competing for attention while also helping females locate suitable ponds or streams.
“Croaking” is the standard quiz answer, although frog calls vary greatly between species. The Pacific tree frog’s call is often rendered as “ribbit,” while the American bullfrog’s call is commonly written as “jug-o-rum.” Some frogs also produce territorial, distress, rain, or release calls, so not every frog sound is a mating call. Females may distinguish calls by pitch, rate, intensity, and duration, often preferring signals that indicate a vigorous or well-adapted mate.