Humming frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Humming frog |
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The humming frog (Neobatrachus pelobatoides) is a special type of frog that lives in Australia. It's known for the unique humming sound the males make, especially when it's time to find a mate!
This frog is part of the Limnodynastidae family. It lives in many different places, like cool forests, shrubland (areas with lots of bushes), and even near temporary marshes or rocky spots. You might also find it in farm fields or open digging sites.
About the Humming Frog
The humming frog is a chubby frog with eyes that stick out a bit. It can grow to be about 5 centimeters (about 2 inches) long. Its back is usually yellowish or grayish-brown, with darker spots and tiny bumps that look like warts. Some humming frogs even have a cool red or white stripe down their back! Their belly is a lighter color.
If you look at their feet, you'll notice something interesting: female frogs have webbing on their feet that goes halfway up their toes, but male frogs have fully webbed feet. This helps them move around in water.
Where They Live
Humming frogs are only found in the southwestern part of Western Australia. Their home stretches from a town called Geraldton all the way to Esperance. They can live in both sandy and clay areas, including deserts and farmland, up to 600 meters (about 2,000 feet) high. These frogs are also good at burrowing, which means they dig into the ground.
Life Cycle and Habits
When summer gets super hot, the humming frog has a clever way to survive. It buries itself deep underground and sheds its skin to make a cozy cocoon. This is like a long nap called aestivation. During this time, its body slows down a lot – its energy use drops by as much as 85%! This means it doesn't need much oxygen.
When the cooler autumn and early winter rains arrive, the frogs wake up and come out of the ground. They then find temporary pools and other water spots to breed. A female frog can lay up to a thousand eggs! The baby frogs, called tadpoles, grow and change into young frogs after about four months. This change is called metamorphosis.
Conservation Status
The IUCN Red List is like a big list that tells us how safe different animals are. The humming frog is listed as "Least Concern". This is good news! It means there are lots of humming frogs, and they live in a wide area, including some protected places. There aren't many big dangers to them, and their population seems to be doing well.
