Distribution: The Green and golden bell frog can be found in eastern New South Wales and Victoria.
Appearance: As the name suggests, this frog is very often green with gold spots and stripes. However the patterning and the intensity of the colors can vary between individuals. Some frogs are even a fairly uniform green to olive or gold color. Most have a white or yellow stripe underlined by a black stipe that runs from the nostril, through the eye, above the ear along the flank to the back-legs. Their bellies are white and coarsely granular (granular in texture). Their groin and inner and outer thighs are turquoise blue.
Their backs are usually smooth. The eardrum (tympanum) is distinct. Their fingers lack webbing but the toes are partially (3/4) webbed. They have broad finger and toe pads compared to the finger and toe width. (The size of the toe and finger pads is smaller and narrower in Growling Grass Frogs and Motorbike Frogs, these other frog species also have warts or ridges on their backs).
Size: Adult females are typically 6-11cm and males 5-7cm.
Call: Usually a long drawn out note followed by several shorter notes often sounding like: Waaaa-Waa-Wa-Wa or Waaaaa-Wa-Wa-Wa. Variations of this call may be heard as frog calls vary with temperature and other conditions that influence their behaviour.
Image: Green and golden bell frog. Credit: Matt Clancy
How you can help
- Download the CAUL Urban Wildlife app. Available on Google Play or Apple Store
- Complete a quick online training session.
- Start recording bell frogs in your area. You can record individual sightings, or undertake a two part timed search - 5 minutes of listening followed by 15 minutes of looking. The timed searches will give us important information on both the presence and absence of our target frog species.