The coqui are a new species to Hawaii and driving us all crazy as they rapidly spread from mountain to sea. They hitchhiked to Hawaii on plants in the mid-nineties. They also cling to cars and hitchhike to new locations, accelerating their spread throughout the Islands. Most chirping is at night. They will enter homes if windows are open.
The frogs suck air into a belly air sac before placing it into their throat sac for each piercingly shrill 90-decibel mating call. The strange thing is, even while watching these frogs closely, we cannot tell where the sound comes out of them; their mouth remains closed before, during and after the call. Only the males chirp like this.
The frogs suck air into a belly air sac before placing it into their throat sac for each piercingly shrill 90-decibel mating call. The strange thing is, even while watching these frogs closely, we cannot tell where the sound comes out of them; their mouth remains closed before, during and after the call. Only the males chirp like this.
This is a coqui frog, a male chirping out his 90-decibel mating call. They are very tiny frogs!
This is a coqui frog, a male chirping out his 90-decibel mating call. They are very tiny frogs!