Frog Love Songs and Sounds of Climate Change

UC Davis study finds temperature affects male frogs' mating calls, with implications for conservation

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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A study from the University of California, Davis, found that temperature affects the sound and quality of male frogs' mating calls. In colder early spring weather, their songs start off sluggishly, but pick up pace as the weather warms, which female frogs prefer. This could be a way for females to track changes in seasonality due to climate change, with implications for amphibian conservation.

Why it matters

About 41% of amphibian species are threatened with extinction, making them the most endangered vertebrate class. Understanding when frogs breed, how that may shift as the climate warms, and what is driving those shifts is critical to their conservation.

The details

Researcher Julianne Pekny recorded the mating calls of Sierran treefrogs at Quail Ridge Ecological Reserve and Lassen Field Station, finding that the males' songs were faster when the water was warmer, which females typically prefer. This suggests females may be using the quality of the male's song as a cue for when conditions are right to lay their eggs.

  • In early spring, male Sierran treefrogs start off with sluggish mating calls.
  • As the weather warms, the male frogs' songs pick up pace.

The players

Julianne Pekny

A UC Davis graduate student in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology when the study was conducted, and currently director of conservation science with the Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy in North Carolina.

Brian Todd

A professor in the UC Davis Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology department and a herpetologist.

Eric Post

A UC Davis professor who studies phenology, or the timing of cyclical events in nature.

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What they’re saying

“The song of frogs really depends on the temperature of the environment. As ponds warm, male frogs go from sounding slow and sluggish to faster and almost desperate. I can hear it with my human ears, and female frogs are also paying attention.”

— Julianne Pekny, Graduate student, UC Davis Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology (Mirage News)

“It's in the best interest for males to get to the pond as early as possible, before other males. But it's in the best interest of females to get there when it's actually time to go and lay their eggs.”

— Brian Todd, Professor, UC Davis Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology department (Mirage News)

“This could potentially revolutionize the study of phenological responses to climate change. We're emphasizing a new understanding of the role of springtime vocalizations by frogs and toads. Males may be unwittingly signaling nuances about the appropriateness of environmental conditions for breeding, and females interpret these signals beyond the intentions of males.”

— Eric Post, Professor, UC Davis (Mirage News)

What’s next

The study's findings could help researchers better understand how climate change is impacting amphibian breeding patterns and inform conservation efforts.

The takeaway

This study provides new insights into how frogs' mating calls can serve as an indicator of environmental conditions, with implications for tracking the effects of climate change on amphibian populations and informing their conservation.