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Listening to Wildlife

Who?

Many groups of animals vocalize. The most vocal wildlife are the birds and the anurans (frogs and toads). Other Virginia wildlife that also make noise include:

Mammals	Insects
Coyote	Crickets
Bobcat	Katydids
House Mouse	Bees

It's also important to note that in the case of birds and anurans it is mainly the males that are doing the singing. Female birds can vocalize and often do (especially alarm calls). In some cases, such as the Mallard, they are the primary vocalizers. Generally though, the beautiful singing we associate with birds comes from the male. In frogs and toads, it is almost exclusively the males singing. Until recently, it was believed that female frogs were unable to vocalize. However, recent research indicates that they can make some limited vocalizations.

What?

The number of vocalizations is almost endless, just for the two main species groups in Virginia! There are 415 species of birds in the Commonwealth and most of them have more than one vocalization. Generally the types of calls made by birds can be separated into two categories:

Song: A learned and usually complex vocalization
Call: A short, instinctive, vocalization

Frog and toad calls can also vary based on the time of year, geographic location, and situation.

Why?

Songs and calls can loosely be grouped into two groups: those that attract others of the same species, and those that warn off or express distress. Most calls that are useful in identifying anurans are in the first group, as they are breeding calls meant to attract members of the opposite sex (advertisement call). In birds, this is the equivalent of the often complex breeding songs of the male. Examples of the second group of calls include when frogs and toads use encounter or territorial calls to warn off other males that get too close. Birds use these types of calls as well, not just for other birds, but also for other perceived threats like humans that get too close to the nest. These are often referred to as alarm calls. As you can see there are a lot of different reasons for animals to make noise!

Where?

You can hear birds singing almost anywhere! Each species has different habitat requirements and it's always useful to know what those requirements are. Knowing habitat and geographic distribution helps to narrow down what you might be hearing and with 415 possible species this is almost essential! Good birding places near here include Huntley Meadows Park in Fairfax County and G. Richard Thompson Wildlife Management Area in northwestern Fauquier County. These properties support a lot of diversity!

Anurans can usually be heard from late winter through mid-summer near any still waterbody. All breeds of frogs and toads in Virginia must lay their eggs in water, so that is where almost all of the calling occurs. Like birds, different frog species have different habitat requirements and it is easier to identify the calls if you know these.

When?

Bird song is obviously more abundant during the breeding season, but certain resident species can be heard year-round. Probably the most productive months are April and May. This is high time for attracting mates and is when most of the migrants return here for breeding. On a clear, warm day, the best time of day to listen for birds is 15 min. before sunrise. On cold and rainy days, birds will take a little more time to get going in the morning and they may not sing in full chorus. There are always exceptions. Birds such as the Whip-poor-will and all species of owls will only be heard calling at night.

For those of you who are not morning people, anuran listening is for you. Some frogs and toads can be heard during the day but the real chorus doesn't get started until 30 minutes after sunset. In Virginia, most frogs and toads hibernate during the coldest months, so there is little to no calling from October through early January. Frog calling is very temperature and weather dependent. In Virginia, spring peepers may start calling in the southeastern part of the state in late January. In the mountains, they are usually a few weeks later. Also, anurans are sensitive to weather. A perfect night for listening to frogs would be a warm evening, just after a rain, with high humidity and no wind. If it is too cold, windy, or dry, most will not call.

Common Singing Birds

Northern Cardinal (Cardinal cardinalis)

Northern Cardinal (photo by Karen Reay)

Vocalization: Cheer-Cheer-Cheer... Winds up then winds down
Where Found: Statewide except above 4500 ft. Prefers forest edges and nests in thick, brushy vegetation.
Interesting Fact: Our state bird, along with six other states! (For those interested — Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky, and North Carolina are the other states that have made the Cardinal a state icon.)

Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinenesis)
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

Carolina Chickadee (photo by Jeff Trollinger)

Vocalization:
CALL: See-dee-dee-dee or Chk-a-dee-dee-dee (last 3 notes raspy; in black-capped it is higher-pitched and more rapid and a much clearer and more distinct Chk-a-dee-dee-dee)
SONG: Fee-bee-Fee-bay (Carolina), Fee-bee (black-capped)
Where Found: Carolina: Statewide; Black-capped: Along the Blue Ridge (mainly above 3000 ft and on the west side) and during migration on the eastern shore. Both use various kinds of woodlands for nesting and they are common in residential areas.

Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)

Tufted Titmouse (photo courtesy Audubon Society)

Vocalization: Peter-Peter-Peter (high-pitched and clear) or two-note whistle (resembles cheeya cheeya)
Where Found: Statewide. Prefers deciduous over coniferous woodlands. Prefers dead trees and stubs for nesting. Common at residential feeders.

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus)

Crows (photo by Paul Purcell)

Vocalization: Caw, Caw (American); Eh-eh, Eh-eh (Fish)
Where Found: American: Statewide. Fish: From Eastern Shore west to the Blue Ridge. Both crows are adaptable and smart and can be found in almost any habitat though the fish crow is partial to wetter areas.
Interesting Fact: Both species of crows, when not in breeding season, gather in large roosts of up to 3000 birds or more in late afternoon until dusk. The American crow nests singly, but the fish crows will nest in colonies. This bird is frequently seen "mobbing" raptors - if you see an owl flying around during the day it is probably being harassed by some crows!

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

Red-tailed Hawk (photo by Jim Zingo)

Vocalization: There isn't really one. Long screeching scream that slopes downward in pitch at the end.
Where Found: Statewide. This is probably the most widely seen hawk because it is the most adaptable. It is usually found cruising open areas (for hunting) that are interspersed with woodlands (for perching and nesting).
Interesting Fact: The red-tailed call is commonly used as the Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus leucocephalus) call on T.V. and film. Also, blue jays are very good at mimicking the call of a red-tailed so don't be fooled!

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)

Red-bellied Woodpecker (photo by Paul Purcell)

Vocalization: Chuuuur (heavily trilled)
Where Found: Statewide. Requires dead trees/limbs for nesting. Can be found in uplands but prefers bottomland forest and edges. Seen at residential area birdfeeders often.

Common Singing Frogs and Toads

Join the Virginia Frog and Toad Calling Survey!

Virginia Frog & Toad Calling Survey volunteers spend three nights a year surveying various wetland habitats for frogs and toads. The survey is conducted by listening for and identifying the calls of the various species and recording the approximate number calling.

Learn more about this important project!

Northern Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer crucifer)

Northern Spring Pepper (photo by John White)

Vocalization: Peep! (high-pitched and repetitive)
Where Found: Statewide. This frog is a tiny woodland dweller. It likes lots of forest litter and brushy undergrowth. For breeding, prefers swampy areas with standing shrubs and trees.
Interesting Fact: Herald of Spring! They are one of the first frogs to start calling, usually in late winter.

Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

Bullfrog (photo by Bob Greenlee)

Vocalization: Like a foghorn — very loud, deep, and pulsating in rhythm
Where Found: Statewide. Prefers larger bodies of water than most other frogs and toads but otherwise is a habitat generalist. More solitary, guarding a territory during the breeding season, stretches from May to August.
Interesting Fact: America's largest native frog.

American Toad (Bufo americanus)

American Toad (photo by John White)

Vocalization: Long, high-pitched trill, winds up in beginning but maintains constant pitch after.
Where Found: Statewide except for the Southeast corner, where it is replaced by the southern toad. Hides under rocks or logs during the day. Found in woodlands, but is also common in gardens. An early breeder, starting in March/April.

Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica)

Wood Frog (photo by John White)

Vocalization: None. Has a rubbery quality to it and is very uneven.
Where Found: Statewide except for south-central and southeastern counties, including Accomac. Lives in or near moist woods. May not be anywhere near open water. Starts breeding March/April.

Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor)
Cope's Gray Treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis)

Gray Treefrog (photo by John White)

Vocalization: Brrrrrrrr, "r" is heavily trilled (H. chrysoscelis is much faster, H. versicolor sounds vaguely loonlike).
Where Found: H. versicolor - scattered throughout piedmont and blue ridge, no further east than Richmond, no further west than Radford. H. chrysoscelis - Eastern half of state and southwest. Both species found in wet woodlands near fresh water.
Interesting Fact: These two species of frogs are identical in appearance. They can only told apart by their call and the number of chromosomes!

Pickeral Frog (Rana Palustris)

Pickeral Frog (photo by John White)

Vocalization: There is no specific Vocalization except that the call has a snore-like quality.
Where Found: Statewide except for extreme southeastern tip. Basically a habitat generalist that can be found anywhere near water. Starts breeding around April/May.