CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 05/15/03

This wildlife story is the frog's meow

By Mike Isbell
University of Georgia

"You need to hear this frog," the caller said. "I've never heard one make a sound like this."

I'm always interested in strange things in nature. Maybe this frog was something special. I decided to check it out.

Bill met me out in the yard of the old frame house. We walked over to a 5-gallon bucket he had out under a huge shade tree. Inside the bucket was the frog. After a few misses, Bill retrieved the frog from the bucket.

The big bullfrog Bill was holding was a good 5 inches long, and that didn't include its legs. Bill placed the frog on the ground and began to rub its back. The old frog raised itself off the ground and arched its back, like a bow, and began to emit a very unfroglike sound.

Just like a cat

Darned if it didn't sound just like a cat. And a very mad cat at that.

Now, I'm no frog expert, but I told Bill I suspected the cat sound the frog was making was probably a cry of distress because it was caught. I told him I would try to confirm my suspicion with someone who's an expert.

"I don't guess we need to contact 'Ripley's Believe It or Not' just yet, huh?" Bill said jokingly.

"No, I wouldn't just yet," I said.

Toads and frogs

Toads and frogs range from just above the Arctic Circle to just about the southern tips of Africa, Australia and South America and on many islands, including New Zealand. They're the most widely distributed of all the amphibians.

The typical toad has warty skin and short legs for hopping, while the typical frog has smooth skin and long legs for leaping. But there are no hard-and-fast rules for distinguishing a toad from a frog.

Bullfrogs prefer larger bodies of water than most other frogs. You can find them in lakes, ponds and sluggish streams. You can usually see them along the water's edge or amid the vegetation where they can hide.

'Jug-o'-rum'

Their deep, soothing, "jug-o'-rum" sound is what you would expect from bullfrogs.

My research on frog sounds led me to Whit Gibbons in Aiken, S.C. Whit's a reptilian and amphibian expert.

He confirmed my suspicion that the sound was a distress cry of the frog. Whit said it's a sound some bullfrogs will make in response to a predator. He didn't know if all bullfrogs make it or just certain frogs.

But evidently it's rare to hear one.

A bullfrog that sounds like a cat. Isn't that the frog's meow!

(Mike Isbell is the Heard County Extension Coordinator with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)

Mike Isbell is the Heard County extension coordinator with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Experts/Sources:
Mike Isbell
After a hearty climb, Connect Abroad Italy students pose in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. (Photo by Angel Bhardwaj) CAES News
UGA ranks as leading doctoral institution for study abroad 12/20/24 Angel Bhardwaj
The University of Georgia remains among the top 10 U.S. universities for study abroad participation, according to the 2024 Open Doors Report released by the Institute of International Education in partnership with the U.S. Department of State. UGA boasts the highest study abroad participation to enrollment ratio of the top 7 ranked doctoral institutions, earning the No. 7 spot in overall participation and No. 3 in short-term study abroad programs.
HurricaneHeleneGreenhouseDamageCropped CAES News
UGA Extension supports resilience in Georgia farm communities after Hurricane Helene 12/19/24 Emily Cabrera
Hurricane Helene wrought sweeping devastation across Georgia’s agricultural sector in late September, leaving an indelible mark on both the land and the people who tend it, bringing focus to vulnerabilities in Georgia’s farming industry and the need for more robust safety nets. In addition to the physical destruction, the hurricane took an emotional toll on Georgia’s farmers. In response, UGA Extension has prioritized mental health support.
From left, CAES Associate Professor Abigail Borron and Fulbright Romanian-American Foundation Scholars Mihai Suteu, Daniyar Memedemin, Alina Zaharia, Andreea Ona and Daniel Chiciudean stand in front of an image of the Romanian flag projected onto a barn at UGArden. CAES News
Fulbright Scholars unite with UGA Extension to envision ag outreach model in Romania 12/18/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Arriving on the Athens campus of the University of Georgia in August 2023, five Romanian scholars experienced the same anticipation, excitement and apprehension as many first-year students.  Chosen as Fulbright Romanian-American Foundation Scholars, each serves on the faculty at one of three Romanian universities, specializing in fields from economics and engineering to plant breeding and biotechnology. The five scholars comprised the first cohort of the Romanian Extension Education Development Program, an ambitious three-year pilot effort to facilitate planning and implementation of extension services in Romania. 
Janiver in sunflower field AI web CAES News
A larger-than-life legacy: CAES student’s contagious enthusiasm inspired others 12/17/24 Jordan Powers
When Miriam Edelkind-Vealey applied for a summer role at a University of Georgia pollinator biodiversity lab in 2020, the junior undergrad didn’t quite know what to expect. After being told she got the position, Edelkind-Vealy didn’t hear anything for a few weeks. It was only then that she learned a collaborator on the project, second-year master’s degree student Amy Joy Janvier, had passed away.
In developing markets where making staple foods is a daily task and warmer climates where food spoilage is common, foods that have more longevity and are easily preserved can enhance economic opportunities by reducing food preparation tasks and lower environmental impact. CAES News
CAES researchers look to reduce food waste by extending shelf life 12/16/24 Lillian Sosbee
“Use by,” “Sell by” and “Best by” dates on food packaging can be helpful indicators of how long a consumer can store a food item before eating, but often these dates lead to high quantities of wasted food. About one-fifth of food produced for human consumption is discarded before it can be eaten, equating to 1 billion meals a day and contributing to global food insecurity.
Recognizing the 100 fastest-growing businesses owned or led by UGA graduates CAES News
UGA celebrates 15 years of Bulldog 100 12/13/24 Rachael Andrews
The University of Georgia Alumni Association released the 2025 Bulldog 100, a list of the 100 fastest-growing businesses owned or led by UGA graduates. The program, organized by the Division of Development & Alumni Relations, celebrates 15 years of honoring alumni and their entrepreneurial endeavors. Among this year’s class, businesses are headquartered in a total of eight states, with 87 of the businesses located in Georgia. In total, 142 alumni representing over two dozen industries are being recognized as a part of this year’s list.