A Guide to California's
Reptiles and Amphibians
Sounds of
Chihuahuan Desert Spadefoot - Spea multiplicata stagnalis
(Cope, 1875)
(New Mexican Spadefoot - Spea multiplicata)
Advertisement Calls An advertisement call is the most well-known call of a frog. It is produced by a male frog in order to attract females during the breeding season and to warn other rival males of his presence. Frogs usually make the calls around bodies of water that are suitable for breeding and egg laying. These calls can be heard during the evening and at night, and sometimes during daylight at the peak of the breeding season. |
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 This is a 21 second recording of the advertisement calls of a small group of New Mexico Spadefoots calling at night while floating in a small temporary rain pond in Santa Cruz County, Arizona in August. Insects are calling in the background. |
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| This is a 6 second recording of 5 consecutive close-up calls from one spadefoot calling at night while floating in a pool in a flooded wash (shown on the left) in Hidalgo County, New Mexico. Insects, distant Great Plains Toads and other spadefoots are heard in the background. |
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| This is a 21 second recording of a distant group of spadefoots calling at night in Navajo County, Arizona. |
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| This is a 64 second recording of a group of spadefoots calling at night while floating in a pool in a flooded wash (shown on the left) in Hidalgo County, New Mexico. A Western Green Toad and possibly some Great Plains Spadefoots can also be heard in this chorus along with Great Plains Toads in the distance. |
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Release or Alarm Calls |
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| These are release or alarm sounds made by two spadefoots found on a wet road at night in Navajo County, Arizona. The second spadefoot makes the sound two times. The spadefoots were only touched, not picked up, when they puffed up with air and made very loud alarm sounds. The sounds were so loud that they were recorded with a lot of distortion, but you can still hear what they sound like despite the poor sound quality. |
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| Short Video | |
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| A spadefoot calls at night while floating on top of a flooded pool in a wash in Hidalgo County, New Mexico. When another male comes close he makes a different snoring sound and swims around. Other spadefoots and Western Green Toads are heard in the background. |
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You can listen to more recordings of New Mexico Spadefoots on this cd: Carlos Davidson - Frog and Toad Calls of the Rocky Mountains; Vanishing Voices |
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