Whistling coquí facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Whistling coquí |
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Eleutherodactylus ramosi Rivero, 1959 |
The whistling coquí (pronounced koh-KEE), also known as the Cochran's treefrog, is a small and special frog. It lives on the beautiful islands of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. This tiny frog is famous for its unique song. It sings a single, rising whistle, followed by three clicking sounds. You can usually hear its song at night. This frog is a nocturnal animal, meaning it is active mostly after the sun goes down. It loves to eat insects.
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What Does the Whistling Coquí Look Like?
The whistling coquí is a very small frog. It usually measures between 0.6 and 0.7 inches long. That's about the size of a small paperclip! Female frogs can be a bit bigger, growing up to 0.9 inches. Their skin can be gray, tan, or a mix of gray-brown.
Look closely at their backs. You might see a cool pattern of fine lines. These lines look a bit like two reverse parentheses {)(}. Their bellies are usually white, gray, or a creamy yellow color. Their legs are brown, and they have tiny toe pads. These pads help them climb. They also have dark, thin lines on the middle of their snouts. Their throats and thighs often have small, speckled brown spots.
Where Does the Whistling Coquí Live?
The whistling coquí makes its home in several places. You can find it on the islands of Puerto Rico, St. John, St. Thomas, and the British Virgin Islands. However, it does not live on Mona, Monito, or Anegada islands.
During the day, these frogs like to sleep. They hide in safe spots like bromeliad plants found on trees. They also like to hide in piles of coconut husks. These places offer good cover from animals that might want to eat them. You can find them in both dry and humid wooded areas. For example, they live in the dry forest of Guánica and the humid areas of Utuado and Cayey in Puerto Rico. They often stay about three feet high in trees.
The Whistling Coquí's Life Cycle
Male whistling coquís use their special songs to find a mate. They sing from about three feet up in trees. You can often hear their calls just before sunset and after sunrise.
These frogs have a very interesting way of reproducing. Unlike many other frogs, they skip the tadpole stage! The female frog lays her eggs in humid, safe places. Instead of hatching into tadpoles, tiny froglets hatch directly from the eggs. These little froglets then grow into adult frogs.
See also
In Spanish: Coquí pitito para niños
