Frogs of Greater Springfield

Frogs of Greater Springfield


Local Frogs

There area many species of frogs that have been recorded as living in the greater Springfield area. Most you don’t see, but you can hear them if you listen carefully around any small or large body of water. If you do hear a frog, then by using the FrogID app on your phone, the frog will be identified by experts, and a record of its existence will automatically be placed in the Atlas of Living Australia. See the list of frogs below (from the Atlas of Living Australia) that have been recorded from the Greater Springfield area.

Dainty Green Tree Frog (Litoria gracilenta)
Dusky Toadlet (Uperoleia fusca)
Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog (Litoria fallax)
Eastern Sign-Bearing Froglet (Crinia parinsignifera)
Great Barred Frog (Mixophyes fasciolatus)
Green Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea)
Green-Thighed Frog (Litoria brevipalmata)
Gunther’s Frog or Broad-palmed Rocket Frog (Litoria latopalmata)
Large Toadlet (Pseudophryne major)
Little Red Tree Frog (Litoria rubella)
Northern Banjo Frog or Scarlet-sided Pobblebonk (Limnodynastes terraereginae)
Ornate Burrowing Frog (Platyplectrum ornatum)
Copper-Backed Toadlet or Raven’s Brood Frog (Pseudophryne raveni)
Rocket Frog (Litoria nasuta)
Spotted Grass Frog (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis)
Striped Burrowing Frog (Cyclorana alboguttata)
Striped Marsh Frog or Brown-Striped Frog (Limnodynastes peronii)
Tusked Frog (Adelotus brevis)
Wrinkled Toadlet (Uperoleia rugosa)

+ Exotic pest species
Cane Toad (Rhinella marina)

The most common native frogs heard around lakes are the ratchet like calls of the “Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog” and ‘tok tok’ tennis match sounds of the “Striped Marsh Frog”. The amplified Green Tree frog croaks are also common from drainpipes around the suburbs.

Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog on a watering can

Striped Marsh Frog spotted while out catching cane toads at Spring Lake

Green Tree Frog on our window sill

Occasionally, rarer species are spotted, such as:

Scarlet-sided Pobblebonk or Northern Banjo Frog (Spring Lake)

Great Barred Frog (Brookwater)

It is usually very difficult to track down and spot frogs that are calling – which is why the Frog ID app on your phone is so useful.

Frog ID

What’s that sound?

Croaks, whistles, bleats and barks – every frog species makes a different sound! By recording a frog call with the new app, FrogID, you can discover which frogs live around you and help us count Australia’s frogs!

FrogID is run by the Australian Museum and can be downloaded from their website www.frogid.net.au/

Springfield Lakes Nature Care has run workshops on how to use the app, and if there is enough demand may run more in the future. If you are interested in attending one of these workshops, then contact us.

Frog Hotels

You can build your very own frog hotel to attract frogs to your backyard and keep them safe from predators.

Instructions on how to build a frog hotel can be found here in this link – “How to Build a Frog Hotel“, as well as this tutorial video, and on many other websites.

In particular, check out the QLD Frog Society Website, or SEQ Frogs Facebook site.