The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking volunteers to help with the annual Wisconsin Frog and Toad Survey. This important effort helps track frog and toad populations throughout the state during spring and summer.
“Our volunteers, lovingly known as ‘froggers,’ are important advocates for frogs and toads in Wisconsin,” said Andrew Badje, DNR conservation biologist and Wisconsin Frog and Toad Survey Coordinator. “They are the beating heart of frog monitoring and conservation in Wisconsin. They are why this survey is the longest-running community-based frog calling survey in North America.”
Volunteers can participate in three ways:
1. Traditional Wisconsin Frog and Toad Survey: Volunteers drive a set route on three nights — early spring, late spring, and early summer. At each of 10 stops per night, volunteers listen for five minutes, recording the species they hear and estimating their abundance.
2. Mink Frog Survey: Found only in northern Wisconsin, mink frogs often call during the day. Volunteers will listen once during the day and once at night, in June and early July, at sites ideal for mink frog breeding.
3. Phenology Survey: Volunteers monitor when frogs and toads begin calling each spring. They will select one wetland to observe and record data as often as possible for five minutes each evening.
Dates for each survey vary, and some depend on changing seasonal conditions. Volunteers will receive detailed instructions after signing up.
Since the survey began in 1984, volunteers have spent over 10,500 nights surveying more than 103,400 sites. This dedication has provided crucial information on species trends. Encouragingly, volunteers have documented rising numbers of American bullfrogs and Blanchard’s cricket frogs. Additionally, they have contributed valuable insights into the unique calling patterns of mink frogs in northern Wisconsin.
For details on volunteering, visit the Wisconsin Frog and Toad Survey webpage.
